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CANADA 

DEPARTMENT OF MINES 

Hon. Louis Codbrbe, Minibtbr; A. P. Low, DEPtmr MiMiersR. 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

R. W. Bbock, Director. 



MEMOIR 49 



No. if Anthropological Series 



Malecite Tales 



BT 



W. H. Mechling 


- 

1 

; 




OTTAWA 

Government Printing Bureau 

1914 


No. 1333. 






CANADA 

DEPARTMENT OF MINES 

Hon. Louis Codbrhb, Minister; A. P. Low, Dhpdty Minister. 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

R. W. Bboce, Dxrbctob. 



I memoirIT] 



No. 4, Anthropological Series 



Malecite Tales 



BT 

W. H. Mechling 



7 6. C 







OTTAWA 
Government Printing Bureau No. 1333. 

1914 



^^Km V 



X 



V 



CONTENTS 

Preface ^ 

Gluskap myths j 

(1). Gluskap I 

(2). Gluskap and the Turtle 40 

(3). Gluskap's tricks 42 

(4). Gluskap's origin (from Rand's "Legends of the Micmacs"). 44 

(5). Wind Bird. 45 

(6). Sakilexis aids the people 45 

(7). Some adventures of Gluskap 47 

Poktcinskwes stories 5O 

(8). The Bear Lover, Magic Pipe, Storage of Water, and other 

incidents 50 

(9). Poktcinskwes 1 55 

(10). Poktcinskwes II 59 

(U). Fisher and Poktcinskwes — First version 59 

(12). Fisher and Poktcinskwes — Second version 62 

(13). Fisher 64 

Mekweisit stories 55 

(14). Mekweisit and his brother 65 

(15). Mekweisit 69 

Miscellaneous myths and tales 75 

(16). Kiwakw 75 

(17). Partridge ] , 77 

(18). Rabbit's tricks 79 

(19). Laks goes salmon-spearing gl 

(20). How wolverine was frozen to death 82 

(21). How a man avenged himself on his wife's paramour 83 

(22). Alaista 84 

(23) . The talking vagina " . ' 86 

(24). The origin of com 87 

(25). The man who followed his wife into spirit land 88 

(26). Reprint of a tale from Le Clercq's "New Relation oifGas- 

pesia" 9j 

(27). The moose people 95 

(28). The mountain man 97 

(29) . The boy who lived with the bears , 99 

(30) . The man who lived with the she-bear 101 

(31). The Indian who understood the language of the dogs 104 

Tales of war and adventure 106 

(32). How the Mohawk war party was drowned 106 

(33). A war party drowned by two women (from Rand's "Legends 

of the Micmacs") IO7 

(34). An army drowned by a single man (from Rand's "Legends of 

the Micmacs") 108 

(35). A war incident (from Rand's "Legends of the Micmacs"')! . ." 109 

(36). Indian strategy (from Rand's "Legends of the Micmacs"). 110 

(37). The adventures of Elnadu HI 

(38). A story told to John Giles 114 

(39). How two Malecites were captured and what they did to 

escape • • ; II5 

(40). Story of the two Malecites who went west, how one was 

killed and the other married and escaped 121 

Micmac stories ' 126 

(41). The naming of Restigouche, a Micmac story ',[ 126 

(42). The Micmacs take vengeance on the Mohawks 129 



PREFACE 



The following myths were collected on five trips among the 
Malecites, who live chiefly in New Brmiswick. The first of these 
trips was to Oldtown, Maine, in April, 1910, when I collected three 
tales from a Malecite, who was then living on the Penobscot 
Reservation. My next trip, in July and August of the same year, 
was to four St. John River reserves — St. Mary, French Village, 
Tobique Point, and Edmundston. I succeeded in getting tales 
from all but the last place. In the summer of 1911 I again 
visited the Malecites, this time their village on the St. Lawrence — - 
Cacouna, Quebec — and St. Mary and Oromocto on the St. John. 
In August, 1912, 1 collected the bulk of this material at St. Mary. 
My last trip was in December, 1912, when I again returned to St. 
Mary. The last three trips were taken under the auspices of the 
Geological Survey of Canada. 

I shall not enumerate here all the informants from whom these 
tales were collected, for the name of each informant as well as the 
date and name of the place where recorded are given with each 
myth. However, I shall here mention my chief informant, James 
Paul, from whom I got the bulk of the material, notably the long 
myth of the culture hero Gluskap. To him also I am indebted 
for some European tales current among the Malecites, which have 
already been pubhshed in the "Journal of American Folk Lore," 
xxvi, 1913, pp. 219-258. Though James Paul has a prodigious 
memory, I can not claim for him the knowledge of all the material 
here presented under his name, for he made use of various other 
Malecites in refreshing his memory concerning the old tales or in 
filling in gaps of a story, which he had forgotten. I have tried 
to give in every case the name of the person from whom he obtained 
his material. It would seem that the greater part of his knowledge 
was derived from his father and his father-in-law. 

Since researches are going on quite rapidly among the neighbour- 
ing tribes, the Penobscots, Micmacs, and Montagnais, it would 



VI 

be a useless task to discuss now in a comparative manner the 
Malecite mythology; this I hope to do at a later date when the 
material on the above-mentioned tribes becomes available. At 
present nothing could be added to Prof. Dixon's study of Algonkin^ 
Mythology. I have, however, noted and compared my versions 
with Rand's^ and Leland's^, whenever they give one from either 
Micmacs or Passamaquoddies. 

I am indebted to Prof. Frank G. Speck of the University of 
Pennsylvania for valuable advice and assistance on the first trip 
to Oldtown, when I accompanied him; and also for many sugges- 
tions during my second trip in the summer of 1910. 

1 was accompanied on my second trip by Mr. Earl Sheble, who 
is responsible for the stories about Mekweisit; without his aid, 
I should have given up these researches almost as soon as they were 
started. 



1 "The Mythology of the Central and Eastern Algonkins," Journal of American Folk Lore, 
Vol. 22, January-March, 1909. 

- Rand, Silas Tertius. "Legends of the Micmacs" (New York and London, 1894), 

2 Leland. Cliarles G., "The Algonauin Legends of New England, or Myths and Folk Lore ot 
the Micmac. P^ssamaauoddy and Penobscot Tribes" (Boston and New York, 18S4). 



MALECITE TALES 

GLUSKAP MYTHS 
(1). Gluskap.i 

Gluskap and his mother came to St. John harbour from the 
south. Their canoe was an island. They landed at March creek 
below St. John. The Indians saw him coming and were amazed 
at the sight of his canoe. At once they knew that he had greater 
power than anyone else, for he was doing amazing things. 

The winter following his arrival he went up the St. John river 
to where the beaver had their dam.^ After examining it he pro- 
ceeded up river in search of more beaver dams, going as far as 
Mactiquack creek, a little above Kingsclear. Here travelling 
was difficult with snowshoes; so he slipped them off and left them 
there. To-day you can see them, for those two islands opposite 
Mactiquack are called "Gluskap's Snowshoes." 

Then he went up as far as Grand falls, across which the beaver 
had built a dam. He tore it to pieces, as you can see to-day, and 
drained the water off. He did this so that when he returned to 
St. John and broke the beaver's dam there, they would have no 
other pond to go to. 

By the time he had finished doing this, spring had come; so he 
built a canoe and paddle out of stone and went down the river to 
the place where St. John now is. When he came, the Indians 
knew that he must have great power to use a stone canoe, so they 
made him their chief; and in a short time he was known everywhere 
as the Chief of the Indians. 

During that summer he went to the mouth of the Kennebecasis, 
where the beavers had their homes. These he examined and then 
he returned to the dam, which was located where the Reversing 
falls are to-day. He took a stick and broke the dam, so that the 

1 The following long mj-thof the culture-hero Gluskap. wasobtained from Jim Paul. ofSt. Mary, 
New Brunswick, in August and December. 1910. The first 07 pages, that is. through the adventures 
of Turtle, were obtained in August. Jim Paul said he had first heard the story more than forty years 
before, when he was camping with his father and father-in-law. The rest of the story was obtained 
in December. Jim Paul had gotten it in the meantime from Newel John, of French Village, N.B. 
The difference in the style of the two portions is quite evident. 

2 The Reversing falls are supposed to be the remains of this dam. The size of the animals was 
much larger before Gluskap transformed things to their present size. Beavers were much larger 
than men and threatened their existence. 

1 



water ran through and the sods which were carried away by the 
flood were lodged below. One is known to-day as Partridge island.^ 

Then he ^eft his grandmother beside the dam with a spear to 
watch that none of the beavers came through. He himself went 
up stream in his canoe and came to the beaver's house, which he 
penetrated, and drove the beavers out. This house is known to-day 
as "Long Island," and is opposite Rothesay in Kennebecasis bay. 
Then he called his dogs and went to hunt for the beaver, which he 
finally found at Milhish bay, between Kennebecasis bay and St. 
John river, and killed them on a white granite rock. Even to this 
day you can see the red spots on the white granite where their 
blood dropped. 

He knew that besides these beavers which he had killed there 
was a young one which had escaped. So again he went up Kenne- 
becasis bay to find it ; but seeing that a trap which he had set was 
not sprung, he returned to the beaver's dam (Reversing falls) 
and asked his grandmother if the beaver had gotten through. She 
replied, "No. You know that when beaver want to go through a 
dam, they make the water muddy, so that you can't see them. 
The water has been clear here all the time." Gluskap said, "If I 
don't kill that beaver, he will do a great deal of damage; so 1 must 
go and hunt him." His grandmother rephed, "No, wait for your 
brother ; he will be here very soon and he wiU know which way the 
beaver went." Gluskap said, "It is very strange that I didn't know 
that I had a brother." "Yes," replied the old woman, "you don't 
know, but I do." A few days later his brother arrived; he was 
called Mikumwesu. And Gluskap's grandmother had saved the 
beaver's tail ' for him. She roasted it before the fire and gave it 
to Mikumwesu. While he was eating it, he asked Gluskap if he 
had killed the beavers. Then Gluskap said that he had killed the 
old ones but had lost a young beaver. Then Mikumwesu replied, 
"He has gone up river. Go down to the seashore and gather two 
stones to throw up river ahead of the beaver to scare him back." 
So Gluskap did as his brother directed and threw stones up the 
river; so far did he throw them that they landed ahead of the beaver 
and scared him back. These stones are called today the "Tobique 
Rocks" and they are about 3 miles below Perth. The beaver 
was rather tired by this time and a few miles below the two 

' Malecites call it Kikw Mikhigin. which they translate as "The sod which broke away." 
* The tail of the beaver is considered by the Indians as the choicest of all raorsels. 



big rocks he crawled upon the north bank of St. John river and 
there he died and turned to stone; he can be seen there to this 
day. 

Gluskap stopped at St. John for a while and killed all the 
dangerous animals at that time. The beaver was very dangerous 
because it was very large. Gluskap and his brother Mikumwesu, 
while sitting one day on the cliff at the Narrows, which was 
right above St. John, began to discuss the improvement of the 
river for the Indians. Gluskap suggested that one-half of the 
river run up and the other half run down; in this manner the 
Indians would be able to go up stream in their canoes ^vithout 
any difficulty. But Mikumwesu disagreed and said, "No, the 
Indians would have too easy a time." Gluskap replied, "Well, 
let the water run up stream as far as Spring Hill half the 
time and the other half of the time let it run down." To this 
Mikumwesu agreed. So Gluskap and Mikumwesu set to work 
to destroy the rest of the dam at St. John, so that the water 
could go through more easily. Then Gluskap said to Mikumwesu, 
"I am going to leave a picture of myself on this cliff (this was at 
the Narrows), so that when the Indians go by here, either going 
up or down in their canoes, they will always be able to see me 
and remember me for the good deeds I have done." 

He and his brother remained there with their grandmother 
for some time; but finally Gluskap and his brother went up the 
river in their canoe, lea\ing their grandmother behind. When 
they had gone some distance up the St. John river, they crossed 
over the watershed and continued on their journey down stream 
to salt water. ^ W^hile going do\\Ti stream they saw a camp and 
went ashore, and found an old Groundhog camping there. They 
called her grandmother and she began to cry. When Gluskap 
asked her why she cried, she repUed, "Half-stone Man, Izignapogos, 
is camping below, ^ and I have nothing to give you to eat, because 
he takes away all our food." Gluskap got very angry when he 
heard this and said, "Go down and tell him the Chief of all the 
tribes is here and must have something to eat." So she did as 
Gluskap requested and found the old man sitting in his camp. 

1 It is doubtful whether they go from here by the Temiscouata waters to the St. Lawrence 
river, or whether they cross over the watershed and go down the Restigouche to Chaleur bay. 

•My informant could give no description of this character. First he translated it as "Half" 
stone Man" and later as "Lopped-sided stone." It is evidently anthropoid in form, as can be seen 
from the secondary stem — ap. 



She said, "Gluskap is here and wants something to eat and he 
says he must have it." 

But Half-stone ]Man laughed and gave her some meat that had 
been lying about for a long time, and said to her, "That is good 
enough for him. He is no better than I am. If that does not 
suffice, let him come himself and try to obtain something better." 

So Groundhog took the bad meat back to Gluskap and told 
him what had happened. He became very angry and told 
Groundhog to take it back and tell Half-stone ]\Ian that Gluskap 
must have good meat. When the old woman returned this to 
Half-stone Man, he only laughed and said, "That is good enough 
for him." 

The old woman said, "He will come himself if you do not give 
him better meat," and threw the meat at him. Half-stone Man 
only laughed at this; and when Groundhog came back and told 
Gluskap what had happened, he immediately started to go over to 
Half-stone ]\Ian'scamp. But his brother Mikumwesu called him 
back and said, "You start too quickly. You have forgotten 
yourself. You don't yet know how you are going to kill Half-stone 
Man." 

"No," said Gluskap, "I have not forgotten myself. I could 
easily kill all the people in the world." 

Mikumwesu replied, "I know you can, but you do not want to 
use your power till you have to.^ You \y\\\ have plenty of use for 
it later in your travels. Now Half-stone Man is on the other 
side of the river and you had better wait till he returns." 

So Gluskap began to think how he could kill him. jNIikumwesu 
said, "He is getting some fresh meat, so that when we come to 
liis camp we will see the good meat there and will be the more 
insulted. You should tarry a little while and consider the matter." 

So they lingered and perceived Half-stone ]\Ian returning in 
his canoe. Then ^likumwesu spoke, "You can kill him only by 
shooting him with my bow and arrow." Gluskap decided to do 
this, but was somewhat piqued to think that Mikumwesu should 
ofTer his bow, which was very small. 

But ^likmnwesu added, "Your bow is not powerful enough." 
To this Gluskap replied, ""WTiat ! ^My bow not powerful enough? 
It is a stone bow and the strongest in the world." 

'■ There are many instances in the mj-thology of this region of where a person has been rendered 
helpless by using up all his power. 



Then Mikiimwesu said, "That I know, but it is not as strong 
as mine. Mine you must use if you desire to kill him." 

Then Gluskap examined Mikumwesu's bow, and seeing how 
small it was, could not understand why it was better than his 
own for this occasion; but Mikumwesu explained, "Half-stone 
Man is a powerful shaman and can dodge the large arrows of your 
bow. Therefore do you go and quarrel with him, and then I 
will shoot him for you. This will show you what my bow can do." 
Saying this he fired the bow at a large rock, showing Gluskap how 
powerful it was. When Gluskap, at his brother's request, exam- 
ined the rock he found that it had been pierced completely. This 
satisfied him. So he went to the camp of Half-stone Man, who 
had returned and was sitting with his axe and club, both of stone, 
beside him. He invited Gluskap to sit down. Gluskap did so 
and said, "Why did you send me that bad meat to eat?" 

Half-stone Man replied, "It is sufficient for you. I should not 
have sent you any without some reward. All in this vicinity must 
buy their meat of me, for I alone have it; and you should do the 
same, for you are not a whit better than the rest, though you 
do call yourself the great Chief. I am the chief here and can keep 
all food from the men, if I so desire. I will show you my power." 
So speaking, he grasped his club and struck a great boulder 
and smashed it to pieces. 

"Now," said he, "there is the meat (pointing to the fresh meat). 
If you will bring someone in payment you can have the meat; but if 
not, you will go without it." 

Gluskap said, "You speak very boldly. A child could kill 
you." 

By this time Mikumwesu had arrived. He knew that Gluskap 
could kill Half-stone Man if he so desired. While conversing 
with Izignapogos, Gluskap smelt the odour of sweet-smelling 
herbs (migwinspipomp = lovadj , the Iroquois material used 
instead of tobacco) and knew that Mikumwesu was there, he 
being the only one who smoked it. Gluskap looked at the smoke- 
hole at the top of the wigwam and saw Mikumwesu standing 
on the place where the poles crossed. Right then Half-stone 
Man and Gluskap were going to fight. Mikumwesu seized his 
bow and arrow and pinned him to the rock. He then came down 



6 

to Gluskap and said, "We had best call everybody to come and 
share the food." And the animals, large and small, were sum- 
moned. They were on the verge of starvation when they came. 
Groundhog rejoiced; Gluskap bade her fear nothing, that she 
would have plenty to eat. ^ Groundhog said, "You are not through 
yet. He has some friends down below." 

He then started down the river with his brother in their canoe. 
Gluskap was paddling. His brother suggested going ashore, as 
one of Half-stone's partners was down below quite close. "I sup- 
pose you know the one I mean," he said, "the big Skunk who can 
shoot across the ocean." Gluskap said he knew, and that he was 
there to kill dangerous and large animals. Mikumwesu went 
ashore and cut out a long stick and told his brother to sharpen it. 
"That is what we'll use," he said, "to plug him up so that he 
cannot shoot." Gluskap rephed, "No, we won't do that, for he is 
rather dangerous. But when we get down there, I shall light my 
pipe. There will arise so much smoke, that he will not be able to 
see and will be unable to direct his shots. Meanwhile I shall 
plug him up." Accordingly, when they came around a bend to a 
narrow place with cliffs on each side, they saw they could not pass 
without incurring the danger of being shot. So Mikumwesu took 
his groundhog tobacco pouch from his belt, drew out his special 
smoking mixture, and began to smoke. The smoke arose and went 
down the river in the manner of a fog, and then they proceeded, 
enveloped in the smoke. Skunk was ready to fire when Gluskap 
shoved the sharp stick into him, and down went the Skunk. Miku- 
mwesu asked why he did not pierce him through so as to kill him. 
Gluskap replied that he did not want to kill him, but desired to 
keep him until he became small enough that Indians might use 
him. He then would not be able to hurt anybody, but would just 
be able to protect himself. 

They proceeded down the river and came to another band of 
Indians. They went ashore and entered the first tent. They were 
met by an old woman whom they called Groundhog. After she 
bade them be seated, Gluskap asked for a glass of water which 
he w'as very much in need of. On their approach to this village 
they had noticed that the water was very dirty and slimy and full 

• It seems he did not actually store up the food, but used his power to keep it out of the reach of 
the others and within his own reach, in other words, it was potential use of the food. 



of bugs, making it unfit to drink. Grandmother replied that she 
had no water but that Akwulabemu had it all. "Go and tell him 
that the Chief wants a drink," said Gluskap. The old woman said, 
"We can get no water except on giving Akwulabemu a young girl. 
I have given two girls to him already and have but one remaining. 
Moreover, he tortures all the girls in his camp. They must obey 
all his commands, and before speaking to them, he pokes them in 
the face with a hot poker. Were I to go there I could not recognize 
my own daughter ; she is so scarred and all her hair has been Ijurnt 
off. But Gluskap insisted that she get the water. Groundhog 
yielded and sent forth her daughter, who had instructions to say 
that the Chief insisted absolutely on having the water. She 
arrived at Akwulabemu's camp and stated her errand. Akwula- 
bemu said in reply, "The great man you have at your camp thinks 
that he is going to have good water to drink." He put a dish of 
water on the girl's head, saying, "Take this to the great man. I 
have been washing my face and feet with it." This greatly 
angered Gluskap, who refused to use the filthy water. He arose, 
armed with a club, intending to go forth and break his head and 
free the water. Gluskap first went forth to destroy Akwulabemu's 
stone canoe, which was floating near the shore. Then he entered 
the camp, w'here he noticed many scarred girls who were too 
frightened to murmur a sound. 

Gluskap approached Akwulabemu and said, "Are you trying to 
destroy all the people? You should have known that I was coming 
and that I am Gluskap, chief of everyone." The old man answered, 
"You may be chief of the animals and men, but you will have to 
fight first." "Thus do you insult me," said Gluskap, and taking 
his club, he struck him and broke his skull. An anima] sprang 
forth from his head and at full speed rushed toward the canoe. 
Gluskap immediately gave chase to it. When the animal saw that 
the canoe was broken, it suddenly became a serpent. Gluskap 
killed it Tsdth his club, and straightway the springs and brooks 
filled with water that was clear and pure. Gluskap called out all 
the bugs and worms and made them a great feast of the snake. 
Gluskap then returned to the old woman's camp and told her to 
go out and proclaim to the populace that the great chief had freed 
the water, that Akwulabemu was dead, and that the springs and 



8 

river would be filled with clear, fresh water. The old woman did 
as she was ordered. 

Meanwhile Mikumwesu took out his pouch, filled his pipe, and 
began to smoke. In a short while the tobacco smoke filled the 
entire \illage. They recognized that it was Mikumwesu and Glus- 
kap. The former went back to Akwulabemu's camp, and entering, 
he saw all the young girls sitting around, scarred and burnt. He 
then went out to the river, secured the brain of the dead snake, 
and returned \vith it to Akwulabemu's camp. Seeing a bark dish 
hanging in the wigwam, he took it and placed the brain in it. 
He then put a small portion of the brain on the head of each girl. 
He then filled the dish with water and washed the face of each 
girl, the result being that every girl acquired a beauty that far 
surpassed her beauty before she was seized by Akwulabemu. 
The girls then returned to their respective camps. Among them 
was the daughter of the chief of the tribe, who was particularly 
handsome, though she was not aware of the fact that she had 
suddenly become beautiful. The chief himself was astounded, 
having heard of how Akwulabemu used to torture the girls. He 
inquired of his daughter who was responsible for the change and 
who caused the water to be returned to the people. She told 
her father of the work of Gluskap and Mikumwesu and he imme- 
diately went out in search of them. On arriving at Groundhog's 
camp, he was invited in. The old woman was particularly jubilant, 
thinking that Mikumwesu or Gluskap might perhaps take one 
of her granddaughters. The chief invited the two heroes to come 
to his camp, but they yielded to the old woman's entreaties to 
stay with her. The chief accordingly returned to his camp and 
sent out some of his men to hunt for game. Several bears were 
caught and these were immediately cooked, the intestines being 
taken out and filled with grease and maple-sugar. The tribes 
were then assembled. 

During this, one of Groundhog's daughters returned quietly to 
Akwulabemu's camp and washed her face once again with the 
water that Mikumwesu had forgotten to destroy. She was now 
more beavitiful than ever before and more so than all the rest. 
She wTapped up her head and covered her face with cedar ashes. 
She then proceeded to the great feast where she joined the dancing 
throngs. The chief, Gluskap, and Mikumwesu were sitting 



9 

together arranging for the marriage of Mikumwesu to one of the 
chief's daughters. Groundhog's granddaughter stole up behind 
them and hstened to their conversation. The chief consented to 
let Mikumwesu have one of his daughters and Mikumwesu said 
in reply, "Yes, your daughter is very beautiful, but whoever in 
dancing will jump over my bow when I rest it upon the ground, 
her shall I take as my wife." All this Groundhog's granddaughter 
had heard, and she immediately rushed back, took the water again 
and washed her face and hair profusely with it. As a result her 
hair became a beautiful, glossy black and reached almost to the 
ground. While making her coiffure, she heard a shout. It was 
the girls who came to dance. But only the Chief's daughter 
succeeded in going over the bow and she went over the point of 
it. All then shouted for a wedding. Mikumwesu arose and in- 
sisted that they await the arrival of some more of the girls, as he 
did not insist so much upon the beauty of the girl as upon her 
ability to jump over the bow. Just then Groundhog's grand- 
daughter entered and started dancing without knowing it. Her 
beauty astounded everybody and she more than pleased Mikum- 
wesu. She danced around them three times and each time she was 
in front of Mikumwesu, she bowed to him, saying, "I salute thee, 
Chief." Then she danced back and danced over Mikumwesu's 
bow. She picked it up and shot an arrow into the air. It de- 
scended and entered the ground to the left of Mikumwesu. She 
then saluted the chief and sat down on the right of Mikumwesu, 
who straightway took his pouch from off his belt, brought forth 
his flint and punk, and lit his pipe and gave it to her. After taking 
a few puffs, Mikumwesu said that never before did a w^oman touch 
his pipe or his pouch. His wife was the first to do so. A wedding 
followed, much to the jealousy of all the other girls, who could 
not fathom the cause of her sudden beauty. The chief too was 
jealous, because his daughter had failed to win Mikumwesu. One 
day the chief expressed to Mikumwesu his dissatisfaction in the 
matter, claiming that he should have married his daughter since 
she stepped over his bow first. But Mikumwesu insisted that he 
had promised to marry the girl who jumped the best. The chief 
also told Gluskap of this, but Gluskap supported his friend. 
Gluskap and Mikumwesu stayed there for quite a length of 



10 

time and did considerable hunting. Mikumwesu quite distin- 
guished himself in bagging game that very few others could get. 

While on a hunting trip a young son was born to Mikumwesu, 
and he was named "Little Thunder." One day, before going out 
to hunt, IMikumwesu admonished his wife not to leave the boy 
alone. But it happened, as Mikumwesu was hunting, that Ground- 
hog was in the woods tapping maple trees to make maple sugar. 
Mikumwesu's wife thought she might as well go over to join 
Groundhog while she was getting the sap, since the baby was 
sleeping. While she was collecting the sap, she saw a feather fall 
right before her. This reminded her of her husband's admonition. 
She immediately started to return and on her way back she 
noticed that the sky was very black. She entered the wigwam, 
but the boy was not to be seen. She sat down and began to 
cry. After a short lapse of time she arose again and went out 
to hunt for the boy. She went down to the river. Perhaps he 
had wandered thither and had gotten into the water hole. But 
it was in vain, and she returned in tears to where her grandmother 
was. When asked why she wept, she told her that her boy was lost. 
Groundhog at once censured her for failing to heed her husband's 
command. On hearing her grandmother's reproaches, her beauty 
disappeared and she again looked as when jMikumwesu first 
appeared. All their former good fortune left them and they had 
difficulty even in eking out a livelihood. Mikumwesu did not 
return. He stayed away for fifteen years. During these years 
she continually kept worrying about her boy. 

One night they heard someone place a load just outside their 
door. The old woman immediately arose and said to her grand- 
daughter that her son-in-law must have returned. She heard 
him striking his snowshoes together to knock the snow from them. 
Shortly afterwards she saw him put his head through the camp 
door. He looked all around the camp, but failed to see his boy. 
He asked his wife for the boy, and she replied that he was lost. 
Mikumwesu said to her, "You won't see me again till the boy re- 
turns, and your looks will become worse and worse." She pleaded 
with him not to leave her and ran after him. But he eluded her 
and flew up a tree ; he alighted on a crotched tree and began to 
sing. The old woman and her granddaughter were again left 
alone, and they wept. The chief and the other girls now^ heard of 



11 

her plight, and going to her, derided her for winning her husband 
under false pretenses of beauty. They continued to mock her 
and this increased her anguish. The old woman tried her best 
to cheer up her granddaughter. 

Meanwhile Gluskap, not having seen his brother for so long a 
time, decided to pay him a visit. On his way he killed four bears. 
When he reached his brother's camp, he saw no traces of his brother 
but he could discern that the wigwam was occupied. He left his 
burden at the river side and went up to the camp. Mikumwesu's 
wife was reclining on the floor when Gluskap entered. The old 
woman told her daughter to arise and receive her brother-in-law. 
Gluskap shook hands with Groundhog and her granddaughter. 
On Gluskap's query as to her granddaughter's sadness. Ground- 
hog in tears told the whole story, and how the chief and all the 
girls derided her because Mikumwesu had deserted her, and how 
worry made her ill. This greatly angered Gluskap, who wanted 
to kill the whole tribe with a peal of thunder. When he asked 
them when they expected his brother to return, Gluskap was told 
that they thought it little likely for him to return at all. Gluskap 
made up his mind to go out in search of the boy. 

Gluskap called do^ii Thunder and conversed with him, ask- 
ing if he had taken away Mikumwesu's boy. Thunder replied 
that he had, because his wife did not obey his admonition. 
'T want you to return the boy," said Mikumwesu's brother. 
"That is impossible, unless his wife shall go up on the peak 
of yonder mountain and stay there for seven days. Then for 
seven days she must kiss each and everybody. If she follows these 
instructions, she will recover both her boy and her former beauty." 
Thunder then departed and Gluskap returned to Groundhog's 
wigwam and bade her go down to the river and bring up the load 
that he had left there. Groundhog did as directed and found four 
bears that were not yet skinned. When Groundhog had left, 
Gluskap asked his sister-in-law to arise and not to be ashamed. 
Gluskap then noticed that she again had the same appearance 
that she had when he saw her in Akwulabemu's wigw^am. Gluskap 
hardly believed his eyes that it was his sister-in-law and he told 
her to her face that he did not beheve her to be Mikumwesu's wife. 
He then asked for proof from her to that effect. She went to a 



12 

corner and brought out a cradle, and the head-strap that was on it 
was Mikumwesu's belt. These proofs were sufficient for Gluskap 
and he proceeded to give her certain directions to carry out. "I 
have got," he said, "among the four bears I have shot, a white one. 
Take its skin with you and get into it when you go up on the 
mountain. I shall also give you a piece of flint and punk. Every 
time you hear a peal of thunder, bring out your flint and strike a 
light. The thunder-bolts will strike all round you, but do not move, 
lest you be killed." She then inquired of her brother-in-law how 
to reach the peak of the mountain. Gluskap added to his ex- 
planation, "If it does not thunder after the fourth day, I shall 
bring you down if you still live." 

The old woman then returned with, her burden, singing. She 
brought the bears to the door and began to skin them. The chief 
was surprised to hear her sing and that she was in such high 
spirits. He said to the Clam, "Go and see Avhy Groundhog is 
singing." Accordingly, she went up and hid close to the wigwam 
and could see what was going on. She returned to her father and 
said, "No wonder she sings, she is skinning bears." The chief 
asked where she had got them from. She replied that she heard 
someone talking inside, whose voice sounded like Gluskap's. The 
chief was not satisfied until he learned definitely that it was Glus- 
kap. This displeased him and he began to scheme how to get the 
advantage over him. 

It was thundering, while this was going on, at a great distance. 
Gluskap said to his sister-in-law, "That's not the thunder who 
was here. Bring me your leather pouch." She brought it out 
and handed it to Gluskap, and then Gluskap put his sister-in- 
law into it.^ Gluskap then tied the bag on the end of his 
arrow and shot her up on the mountain. When she landed up 
on the peak of the mountain, it was a few seconds before she 
collected herself, but when she looked around she did not see the 
arrow nor the pouch. She took the bear skin and laid it down, 
sat down on it and looked around. Black clouds were all around. 
It was still thundering a long distance off. While this was taking 
place, Gluskap was busy in Groundhog's camp and the brother of 
Groundhog's granddaughter returned. He had been away for 



' Unasked for comment by Jim: "He must have saueezed her up pretty small. 



13 

some time. He immediately asked his grandmother and Gluskap 
where his sister was. Gluskap replied that she was up on the 
mountain and narrated what had happened. "It is the old chief's 
doings," said Groundhog. "Since your sister married Mikum- 
wesu, they have been plotting to kill your sister and her child, 
because the chief's daughter was jealous of your sister. I hesi- 
tated to tell Gluskap for fear he would become so enraged that he 
would resort to rash extremities. Gluskap is now trying to get 
back your sister and her child safely." The young man in anger 
said to Gluskap, "Do not give me any assistance. I shall do what 
I am about to undertake myself. I shall kill the chief and all his 
relatives." And as he said this two stones grew out of his cheeks. 
Gluskap noticed this and remarked, "You are a veritable stone 
man." "Yes," he answered, "I have been \vith Thunders ever 
since I was a boy. I have acquired all their powers and now I 
have more power than any Thunder." "You are a great boaster," 
remarked Gluskap.^ "Do you mean that you are the strongest 
on earth and that you are also the strongest among the Thunders?" 
continued Gluskap. 

The young man replied, "No, I am not the strongest on earth, 
but I have more power than the Thunders." 

"What do you intend to do?" said Gluskap. "Will you carry 
out your threats?" 

The young man replied in the affirmative, but he consented to 
seek his sister with Gluskap and bring her back before carrying 
out his bloody purpose. Gluskap seized his bow and arrow and 
told Groundhog's grandson that he would fire an arrow. As the 
arrow left the bow, he was to seize it and it would carry him 
whither his sister had gone on the mountain. Accordingly, Glus- 
kap sent ofT the arrow, the girl's brother seized it, and he was 
carried up to the mountain. He saw his sister and he was further 
enraged. Gluskap, who had gone up with him, took her by a 
hand and led her. The brother in his rage said, "I shall show 
the people what a Thunder can do. The chief thinks that he 
controls the lightning." As he said this, he leaped heavily to the 
ground and lightning struck the mountain as they left it. He also 
gave a shout and the lightning struck the mountain down and tore 

' Jim's words were. "You are talking very strong." 



14 

the ground up all around it and around the place where the chief 
had his camp. 

"Brother," said Gluskap, "You must be the chief of the Thun- 
ders, indeed." 

The chief, on the other hand, felt confident that the wife of 
Mikumwesu was destroyed in the destruction of the mountain 
and he immediately sent his Clam over to Groundhog's camp to 
see what had happened there. She heard talking and a voice of a 
girl was distinguished among the rest. She returned to her 
father and told him that there was another man beside Gluskap 
there, but that it was not Mikumwesu. "I think," she said, "it 
is the girl's brother who has been away so long with the Thunders." 

This greatly perplexed and annoyed the old chief, and he finally 
concluded that it must be someone else than the girl's brother, 
because he thought he would have been informed if it was a 
Thunder. Yet he was uncertain, for his belief in his own power 
was shaken when he saw^ the mountain disrupted and ground all 
around it torn up. 

Gluskap remarked to the girl's brother, "I could have carried 
out my purpose without having the girl brought up to the moun- 
tain, but I did not want to kill anybody else, unless I was sure why 
I was doing so. To reveal to you my power I will restore the 
mountain that you destroyed and will, moreover, place a lake on 
its summit." As he said this, Gluskap rushed out, waved his 
hands over in the direction of the mountain and the mountain 
suddenly reappeared and on top of it was a lake. 

Thunder was surprised, but he remarked to Gluskap that he 
thought it was inexpedient to have the mountain restored, because 
he thought that the people would think that Thunder did not 
have it in his power to destroy it irrevocably. But Gluskap insisted 
that the mountain be there forever. "Never again shall any 
Thunder destroy the mountains," said Gluskap, "all that Thunder 
shall have power to do will be to destroy the serpents which are 
under the earth." 

Gluskap also objected to having Thunder kill the chief and his 
relatives, but wished to reduce them to impotence instead, so 
that they would be like the common people. But Thunder was 
granted his wish that Gluskap do nothing until he returned in 



15 

three days with his nephew. When the latter appeared on the 
scene, he was seen to have Uttle stones protruding from his cheeks. 
His sister was overjoyed to see her Httle son, whose appearance was 
so different from what it had been. The Httle fellow played with 
his youthful companions, and Gluskap noticed that when the 
other boys would make him angry, he would make a strange noise 
which sounded like thunder and that there was a flash (of 
lightning), just as when fiint was struck. 

Thunder then declared his intention of hunting up his brother- 
in-law. Gluskap advised him that he had gone to the end of the 
world and would return within a year, and that, therefore, he 
thought it best to await his return. Thunder agreed to wait. 

Meanwhile, the girl's brother would each day give the chief a 
mighty scare. He would cause lightning to strike the chief's 
camp and cause the poles to fly from off his camp\ 

Mikumwesu at this time made up his mind to begin his return 
home. Something seemed to tell him that something extraordi- 
nary had happened in his home, and he became anxious to see his 
wife again. 

He completed the journey and arrived at his old camp, and 
recognized his son who was playing on the outside. Mikumwesu 
determined to reveal himself to no one but his son. The boy 
looked up and immediately let out a cry "Father," which the occu- 
pants of the wigwam heard. They started out, but JNIikumwesu 
already had the boy in his arms and was invisible to all save to 
Gluskap. The boy, however, could be distinguished. Gluskap 
was angered by the tactics of his brother on his return and said 
to him, "What is your object in thus trying to hide yourself? 
You cannot conceal yourself from me, therefore come down. You 
ought to be thankful for the wife you won." No one but Mikum- 
wesu could hear Gluskap. 

Mikumwesu yielded to his brother and came down. He was 
happy to see his boy and took the stones out of his cheeks and 
also freed him from the thunder. He said, "He will be powerful 
enough without being a Thunder, for his father is powerful." 

Mikumwesu then went out and brought in the water that his 
wife had used on the eventful night of their marriage. He again 

' The outside poles of the wiewam which keep the bark in place. 



16 

washed his wife's face wdth it and again it restored to her her 
former beauty. She looked just as when he had married her. 
Thunder, her brother, then said, "We must have a wedding feast 
all over again, because, although I was absent, I knew all about 
your marriage, being unable to be present. We were on a journey 
southward to kill a huge serpent." 

Mikumwesu's brother-in-law then went out and saw a big 
moose. It was so large that he had to resort to his power in the 
use of lightning in order to slay the beast. But even this did not 
avail him any, for Gluskap had taken from him the power to kill 
with hghtning. All he could do with lightning was to kill ser- 
pents that were dangerous. He then returned and told his brother 
of the big moose, as tall as the trees, that he could not despatch. 
Mikumwesu said to his brother-in-law, "Take my bow and go 
out and shoot him. You will find it outside leaning against the 
wigwam. He hunted round, but could not find the bow. He did 
notice a little bow which appeared to him clearly to be a child's 
bow. Accordingly he came in and reported to his brother that 
he was unable to find it. 

Mikumwesu said, "It is indeed quite strange that you who are a 
Thunder and can see over everything and can see through the 
mountains are unable to see that bow. Here is the bow." 

Thunder replied, "I did see that bow, but thought surely that 
that was a child's bow." 

"You should have known better. Try to Hft it." 

Thunder tried to raise it, but was unsuccessful, although it 
was exceedingly small. Mikumwesu, however, easily succeeded 
in raising it and he gave it to Thunder. The latter then could 
handle it with ease just as though it was a feather, so light did 
it seem. And he remarked to Mikumwesu, "You could not kill 
anything with this." 

"Then put it down," replied Mikumwesu. 

Thunder complied with the words, "I shall go and fetch my 
own bow. My grandmother must have a bow somewhere." He 
asked his grandmother where he could find his father's bow. 

His grandmother said that it was up in the winter camp, stick- 
ing under the polls. He brought it to Mikumwesu and said, 
"This is a man's bow." 



17 

"You call that a bow!" ejaculated Mikumwesu. "Well and 
good, now go out and shoot your game." 

Thunder went forth and soon came up to the animal. He fired 
repeatedly, but every arrow bounced back, refusing to pierce the 
animal. Crestfallen, he returned to the wigwam, and said to 
Mikumwesu, "The bow is too Umber." 

Mikumwesu derided him, "Your bow must be a new-born babe's 
bow. Come out with me, and I shall shoot it." 

They had not proceeded far when they came upon the animal 
feeding. Mikumwesu bent his bow and fired straight at the 
animal's heart. His aim was perfect and the animal fell dead. 
They went up to it and bound its legs together. Mikumwesu 
said, "You are a powerful man. You should be able to carry it 
back to camp. Thunder claims to be the strongest of creatures." 

"Yes," said Thunder, "I can carry it back." Then Thunder 
crouched down, hfted up its legs and got under it to carry it upon 
his back. Then he straightened out, but could not budge it. 
He came out and admitted that he could not carry it. 

Mikumwesu said, "You go in advance and cut down some of 
the trees and I shall get the brute to the camp." 

Just as Thunder started, Mikumwesu thought to himself, "I 
shall give him some power just to see what he can do." Then he 
said aloud, "Pull them out by the roots." 

Thunder grabbed hold of a tree and succeeded easily in pulling 
it out by the roots. He kept doing this for some time and Mikum- 
wesu, who was sitting down on the dead moose, watched him. 
He laughed at Thunder as he watched him toil. "He'll have 
something to say when he gets to camp," he thought to himself. 
Mikumwesu then picked up the moose and carried it to the camp. 
When he dropped it, it jarred the earth all around. Mikumwesu 
then entered the camp and met Thunder. Thunder asked him, 
"Did you meet with any hindrances on the path I cleared for 
you?" 

Mikumwesu replied in the negative. 

"It was a powerful man who cleared that path for you," said 
Thunder. 

Mikumwesu replied, "It was a powerful man who brought the 
animal, too." 



18 

Gluskap heard these retorts and they displeased him, for he 
did not think it became brothers-in-law to speak to each other in 
such manner. He spoke to Mikumwesu in such a way that no 
one else in the camp could understand him,^ saying, "I do not like 
the way you are treating your brother-in-law since you returned. 
It seems that you are trying to pick a quarrel." 

Mikumwesu replied, "I know that he is after me and I do not 
wish you to interfere in anything that occurs between us. He has 
tried to hurt me once already." 

At this jimcture, Thunder interrupted, saying to Mikumwesu, 
"Let us go out and skin the moose." 

Accordingly they went out and skinned the moose. Mikum- 
wesu's wife also came out and told her husband to get the lungs, 
intestines, and liver for her, for she Avas going to cook them. 
Mikumwesu opened the animal and easily took out the lungs, but 
the animal was so large that he had to go inside it to get the liver 
out. While Mikumwesu was inside cutting away at the liver, 
his brother-in-law, Thunder, drove his knife between the ribs of 
the animal, intending to kill Mikumwesu. His blow fell right in 
between his two shoulders, but pierced only the skin. Presently 
Mikumwesu came forth with the liver and said, "I slipped inside 
and fell down on the moose's broken rib and it cut me between 
the shoulders." He wished to conceal from Thunder that he was 
aware of the latter's attempt on his life. He went into the wig- 
wam and took off his shirt and found that he was bleeding in the 
back. His brother-in-law came and, seeing him bleeding, re- 
marked, "You must have hurt yourself considerably when you 
fell on the broken rib." Thunder then ran out and secured some 
moss from a maple tree and, after chevv'ing it thoroughly, put it 
upon Mikumw^es\i's back and said, "It will be all right in a day or 
two." Thunder thought that he had no suspicion that he had 
stabbed him. 



1 Jim says that he has heard old Indians talking together and he could not understand anything 
of the conversation. When he asked his father about it. he exDlained the words and he says it 
seemed very simple. Willie Ellis also told me how his grandfather asked him to get him his pipe 
and he could not understand. It is probably a manner of talking by using descriptive phrases, a 
sort of poetic term being used instead of the normal word. Old Sacobi is about full-blooded. He 
was a member of the chief's family. St. Mary Indians are divided into two parties, one of 
which deems itself to be full-blooded, while the other calls inelf half-breed. One day a 
group of breeds were sitting around in Sacobi's house and Sacobi »aid. "Soon the cat will catch the 
white mice." None knew what he was talking about, but Jim did. and he answered, "The cat 
has been chasing the white mice for many years and will soon get caught in the trap of the white 
mice." The meaning of this was, of course, first, the full-bloods were chasing the half-breeds hard. 
The answer meant that they have been after them for many years, but would soon overdo it and 
get caught themselves. This was "high language" 



19 

But Mikumwesu in indignant words told Gluskap that Thunder 
had stabbed him while he was cutting the liver of the animal. 
Mikumwesu then told Thunder to go out and summon all the 
neighbours to the coming feast. On his way, Thunder dropped into 
the chief's camp, who casually asked what Gluskap and Mikum- 
wesu were doing. He informed the chief that they had designs 
upon his life, but they had not succeeded in hurting him j'et. 
Young Thunder said, "I do not like the way Mikumwesu treated 
my sister. I thought the time 1 sent his baby away with the 
Thunders, he w^ould never come back." 

"Yes," said young Thunder, "he tried to injure me, but I don't 
think that he can do it. Nevertheless he is a hard man to get 
ahead of. What shall we do with him?" 

The chief said, "1 have a brother who lives down this river where 
the mountains close in on each side of the stream. With his help 
we can kill Mikumwesu. Later on, when Gluskap, who calls 
himself chief, happens to go down past the mountains, he will be 
killed there. We shall allow no man to lord it over us." 
Finally the chief concluded, saying, "Go down and tell my 
brother about the big feast." 

Thunder did as the chief requested, and when he neared the 
mountains, he heard the old fellow growling, which led Thunder 
to suspect that he must be very strong. When Thunder entered, 
the old man accosted him thus, "What trouble is it that brings 
you here now? Never did a man come to see me without my 
knowing it, and never has a man come past my dogs." 

"Your brother desires you to come up to the great feast that 
the great men are going to give." 

The old man desired to be informed as to the identity of the 
great men. 

Thunder told him that the two great men were Gluskap and 
Mikumwesu. 

The old fellow fell back and laughed and said, "I suspect the 
mission my brother wishes me to fulfill; he fears these two men 
will supersede him. I shall go up with you, but my dogs will not 
growl while I am gone." He called the two mountains his dogs, 
for they came together with a crash and then separated, imme- 
diately coming together again, like the fangs of a dog. 



2U 

They finally reached the chief, and he told his brother about 
Gluskap and Mikumwesu. 

The two brothers and young Thunder then held a council. 
The chief's brother said, "When Mikumwesu gets up from his 
skauwan,^ you come over and sit alongside of me. When he gets 
directly opposite you, use your power and salute him. With your 
left foot stamp vigorously on the ground. He wall then sink in 
up to his neck. Then I shall finish him with my club. If I fail 
in this, then my dogs will finish him when he gets down to the 
river. Never has anyone succeeded in getting past my dogs, without 
losing his life." 

Accordingly Thunder went over to Mikumwesu's camp and said, 
'T have not only notified everybody in the village, but I have even 
notified the chief's brother." 

By this time the feast was ready. They had a large brush^ 
camp. The young men carried the food over to the hall. Young 
Thunder went out and shouted to everybody that the feast was 
ready. Men, women, and children thronged to the scene of 
festivities. Gluskap led in the procession with Groundhog, and 
Mikumwesu brought up the rear. On the way Mikumwesu's \v\ie 
asked him if he knew all that would take place and he replied in 
the affirmative and told her that the chief's brother was present, 
and that he and his two accomplices were planning to kill him. 
Mikumwesu also boasted to his wife that nothing could kill him. 

"But I know something that will kill you," said his wdfe to 
him. "Directly behind the place where your seat has been assigned 
they have placed a quill, so that when you lean back it will pierce 
through to your heart and kill you. That medeulin,^ the chief's 
brother, has planned it and he is a great medeulin." 

"You are right," said Mikumwesu, "but I would not have sat 
down. On the contrary, I would have stood on the quill. My 
brother-in-law has already tried to kill me." 

"Yes, I am aware of that," said his wife, "and unless you kill 
him soon, he will find out a means of kilUng you." 

' "Skauwan" is a personal song and dance possessed by every Malecite of note. Il is sung at any 
political or military function in which its owner takes part. 

2 Brush sides, but no roof. 

^ Medeulin, a shaman. A medeulin differs from a gimp in that his taagical power is not restricted 
to warlike deeds. 



21 

"Well," concluded Mikumwesu, "I think I shall not step on it, 
but rather will cut it off." 

Soon they entered the hall, which was completely filled. Mi- 
kumwesu bowed and shook hands with all the guests. Everybody 
marvelled at him, for he was such a small man. Mikumwesu 
took a careful look at the chief's old brother. They soon invited 
him to sit down at his assigned place. But before seating himself, 
he drew his knife and began to cut off the boughs that were hanging 
around the side. He cut them all off, and then something dropped 
which he immediately picked up. He then exclaimed that a 
porcupine had dropped a quill and that there must have been a 
porcupine where these boughs were gotten. The chief's brother 
scrutinized him sharply, for he realized that it would be difficult 
to get the better of him. He also felt that something was going 
to happen and he trembled. Gluskap was fully cognizant of all 
that was taking place, but he adhered to his brother's request 
that he should show no interference. He also was certain that 
his brother could well take care of himself. 

The skauwan commenced and all took their turns. Mikumwesu 
was last in order. He danced backwards and forwards before 
all the grandees. Gluskap, the chief, and his brother were all 
sitting together. When he would come to the big dish, he would 
fill his bark dish up with soup and drink it down. Then he was 
ready for business. He did not touch the ground in dancing. 
Thunder felt his impotence to do any harm to Mikumwesu. 
The latter continued dancing and added words to the music and 
all listened to his song, which narrated the whole conspiracy 
against his life, and he was closing the song mth words to the effect 
that he was going to kill his brother-in-law very soon. Just then 
Mikumwesu danced before his brother-in-law; he rushed over to 
him, grabbed him by the throat and by the legs, doubled him up 
and broke him in two. He added the words, "You may be as 
strong as a rock, but I have put an end to you now." 

Just then the old man arose to strike Mikumwesu with his 
club. But the latter was too quick for him, and seized Gluskap's 
club, and would have killed his assailant, had not Gluskap inter- 
vened and requested that Mikumwesu merely wound him to make 
him go home in suffering. The conspiracy was thus ended and 
the old man returned to his camp in pain. 



22 

Gluskap arose and made an address, in which he said that no man 
shall get power who does not use it right. Gluskap, Groundhog, 
and their friends then returned to their camp. 

Gluskap then told Mikumwesu that he would leave him, but 
before doing so, he intended to seize the old man's dogs and put 
sticks in their mouths, so that they could no longer bark. So 
Gluskap set out, taking his nephew, who was now quite grown, 
with him. Mikumwesu also left, so that Groundhog was left 
alone. When Mikumwesu reached the two mountains, he noticed 
that Gluskap had carried out his plans with regard to the dogs. 

Presently they arrived at a village, where it was soon kno'^n 
that strangers were in their midst. All came out to see the small 
Mikumwesu who had come over in a large canoe, and they marvelled 
at him. The old folks felt certain that the strangers were 
Mikumwesu and Gluskap, for no others could do their feats. The 
chief of the band happened at the time to be absent. But Turtle 
happened to be there, skinning and cutting up meat that he had 
trapped on a hunting trip. He was at this time drying it and 
doing other camp duties. While Fisher was away, Klu^ came 
with his partner to the hunter's camp. They entered and said to 
Turtle "Kwe," and Turtle answered, "Kwg." He knew that they 
were hungry and immediately procured them some dried meat. 

He met Turtle, whom he took with him, and they hunted 
together for some time. Turtle was lazy and stayed around camp 
and did the cooking and the smoking of the meat. But Fisher 
hunted hard and brought in a goodly lot of game. One day, when 
Fisher happened to be absent, the large bird Klu came to visit 
Turtle. Turtle brought out some smoked moose meat and pounded 
it up fine, then gave it without any water or other liquid to Klu. 
The latter choked on it, so Turtle cut him up and smoked him. 
The large wings he hung up. When Fisher came home and saw 
all the meat hanging up, he was pleased, and thought that Turtle 
must have been very industrious. But when he saw the wing of 
Klu, he felt very different and cried out, "Now you are going to 
get into trouble, you have killed the chief." For Fisher knew that 
Klu was chief of a band of Indians who lived not far distant. He 
told Turtle that these would soon come in search of their chief 

' Eagle ? Buzzard ? 



23 

and would kill him. Fisher knew that he could get off, but that 
Turtle could not, so he offered to carry him up a tree, as the place 
of greatest security. Turtle accepted. So Fisher clambered up 
and made a nest on the limb of the tree. He told Turtle to remain 
there until things had quieted down and he came back. On the 
way down he pulled all the bark off the tree so that Turtle could 
not come down. Fisher went away as fast as he could. Soon 
Klu's band came around to hunt for their chief. After a while 
they found some feathers and then they saw the wing hanging up. 
So they knew that Turtle had killed their chief. They began to 
hunt for him, but could not find him. When some of them got 
under the tree, he thought it would be a good joke to defecate 
upon them. So he pushed himself backwards to get into the 
proper position. In so doing he lost his balance and fell down. 
Klu's tribe saw him falling, but they could not see him when 
he landed. But after a while they found him hiding under a 
waltes.^ They wanted to kill him immediately, but could not 
decide on the means. One suggested hanging, but the turtle 
seemed to be very much pleased. He even went to get a rope 
for them. But when they saw his willingness, they said that it 
would not do to kill him this way. "He does not seem to mind 
it." So they suggested burning and began to collect the wood, 
but when they saw Turtle also collecting wood, they decided 
that the method would not do. Another proposed drowTiing. 
When Turtle heard this, he appeared very sad. And when they 
began to push him, he held back. So now, thinking that they 
knew what Turtle surely hated, they decided to throw him into 
the water. This they did and he sank right to the bottom, and 
they thought they had killed him. But Turtle swam under the 
water and finally came up under some girls who were washing 
clothes. And he looked at the private parts of one and said, "She 
is fine," and then at another and said, "She is a little better." 

When the girls heard him talking down under the water, they 
ran up to the village to tell the people. They said, "We thought 
you said you had drowned Turtle. He did not appear to be very 
much dead when he looked up at us as we were washing on the 
logs." 

' Probably a reference to the Turtle's habit of getting under his shell, the shell resembling a 
waltes, or wooden plate. 



24 

When the people heard this, they cried out, "We must kill 
him wherever he is. That was a clever trick to appear to be afraid 
of drowning. We should have known better than to try to drown 
him." So they went down to the water to hunt for him, but he 
was not there. They went all along the shore in their canoes, and 
several girls who were going along the shore found him. He was 
lying on his back and sunning himself on a rock. The men rushed 
ashore and found him, and all between his legs was fly-blown. 
The white spots are still visible. They seized him and said, "You 
won't escape us this time," and they handled him roughly. He 
remonstrated but they replied, "You are not going to kill any 
more of our chiefs." Turtle said, "Why did not your chief come 
before me like a man, so that I could tell that he was a chief? 
He came like a bird and I could not tell what he was." "No," 
said they, "you can't give us any excuse." So they took him into 
their hall, where they held their councils. 

While they were holding council, Gluskap and his brother 
arrived. Gluskap said to Mikumwesu, "Uncle is in a bad state. 
It is all my doing that he has been doing this. I wanted^ liim to 
kill the chief, so that 1 could have some fun A^dth him. But we 
will not let him know that we are present till he is suffering under 
torture. Perhaps the people will let us know what is going on." 
After they had held council over Turtle, they started to torture 
him by burning him with fire-brands. They wished to drag him 
through the fire. He begged them to stop, but they would not. 
Finally some of them said, "Why do we not call ]Mikumwesu, so 
that he can come up and see the fun." So they went down and 
informed him. And Mikumwesu said that he would go up and see 
the fun. As they were going up. Gluskap said to his brother, 
"I told you they would let us know." When they came to the 
spot where they were torturing Turtle, Gluskap did not recognize 
his uncle, who was all covered with ashes. This, however, was only 
feigned, for he did know him, but thought it best to say it was a 
wooden plate. Just as they were going to throw the Turtle again 
into the fire, he spoke up and said, "Don't throw me into the fire 
again." When Gluskap heard him speak, he laughed and said, 
"Why, is that you, uncle?" Gluskap walked up to him and, just 
by willing it, he turned the Turtle into a man, and lo and behold ! 



25 

there was a fine looking young man standing there. Gluskap 
said to hira, "What is the trouble that they have?" 

So Turtle told him what had happened. And Gluskap said to 
him, "They can't kill you for killing a bird. Some chiefs have 
birds which they send around." Now all the others were whisper- 
ing among themselves and they said that he must be Gluskap. 
Then, when they perceived that it was Gluskap, they went up to 
him and asked him to forgive them, saying that they did not know 
Turtle was his uncle. Then Gluskap and his uncle left the place. 
They went to a town where they lingered for some time, working. 
Finally Gluskap said to his uncle, "You had better be getting 
married." To this Turtle replied, "Where am I to find me a 
wife?" "Why," said Gluskap, "we'll ask the chief for his daugh- 
ter." Turtle admitted that the girl was agreeable to him, but, he 
said, "How are we to get her?" "I'll go myself and get her," 
replied Gluskap. 

So Gluskap went to see the chief. He told the chief that the 
Turtle, his uncle, wished to get married.^ But Gluskap had to 
go himself, because the second chief was a close relation of the chief. 
Gluskap, however, was a chief. The chief or second chief was noti- 
fied, and he and the other man went an<l talked to the chief, teUing 
him that his uncle wanted to marry his daughter. Then he went 
out, leaving a bundle of furs. So the chief called his relations 
and had a talk about the wedding, and asked them whether 
they should consent to have Turtle or not. The chief's wife 
said, "Do you suppose we would marry Turtle as he looks at 
present?" The chief replied that Gluskap could make Turtle 
assume any shape and form he desired. "Moreover," he said, 
"Gluskap is a powerful man and cannot be refused." So they 
went and informed Gluskap that there was to be a wedding. 
And at this the people all rejoiced^. 

* According to the old Indian custom, the bride and groom never saw each otheF. They take the 
kluzwagic or wedding cresent, consisting of a blanket of beaver skin or of some cheaper fur and a 
string of wampum, to the chief. The young man does not go himself, but sends a deleeate — not his 
father, but some other relation. They go in company with another man, u.sually the second chief, 
to see the parents of the girl and leave a present. They talk the matter over, though it is never 
decided immediately. The father of the girl collects all the relations and they discuss the 
parentage, ability, and future pro3pe.cts of the young miin. If all is accepfcible to them, the girl is 
informed, and she can decide to accept him or not. If she refu.ses him, two men take the present 
back. If she decides to have him, two men are chosen as delegates to inform the young man. 
The girl's father keeps the gluswagin. This consists of two parts. The first is a present, usually a 
string of wampum which is given to the father ceremonially. He keeps it until another young man 
in the tribe wants to get married, who does the same as the young man in this instance. The 
second portion consists of furs or blankets and belongs to the girl's father. It was symhwlic rather 
than real property. As a rule a second chief takes the wampum. 

' But for three days after they were married by the chief, they could not live together. 
Aooording to the Indian custom they had to make preparations for the feast in those three days. 



26 

While they were preparing things for the feast, Gluskap told 
Turtle (whom he had changed into a young man) to go up to 
his bride and get her to come down, as there were a couple 
of canoes that were to cross over to the island to get some 
berries for the wedding. So she got ready and got some girls 
to accompany her. They went across to the island. Gluskap 
was paddling one canoe and Turtle's brother-in-law, the chief's 
son, was paddling another. Gluskap had the girls who accom- 
panied the bride with him. With his brother-in-law was the 
bride, her husband, and a few others. After they had obtained 
the berries, Gluskap advised them to get back before it blew 
very hard. On the way home he decided to have some fun by 
letting his uncle do some tricks. ''Whatever I imagine him to do, 
let him do," he said to himself. The canoes were going side by 
side. Turtle got up and put one foot on one and the other on 
the other. Just as Gluskap saw his uncle doing this, he shoved the 
canoe away. Overboard went Turtle. They did not stop, but 
went right on ahead. One said, ''What is that that just went 
overboard?" "That," rephed Gluskap, "is my uacle." The 
bride felt very much ashamed. They went back and found him 
floundering around and had great difficulty in getting him into 
the canoe. Then Gluskap said, "You ought to be ashamed of 
yourself, trying to do these tricks and finally falling overboard." 
They returned, and when the third day arrived they had a great 
wedding feast^ 

That evening they had their wedding dance. They were 
dancing until the bride and groom came in, and they danced the 
short horn dance.^ About the middle of the night they took the 
bride and groom to the camp of the chief and put them to bed. 

The next morning the old chief's wife got up and looked on 
the opposite side of the camp, where her daughter and son-in-law 
lay, and saw the Turtle's back sticking out from under one of the 
blankets. She picked up a poker and began to jab him in the back. 
She said, "What is a turtle doing there beside my daughter?" 
not knowing that it was her son-in-law. The chief informed her 
who it was. Before that Turtle had asked his nephew what he 



' In those days it was not necessary to eat in one place. Each man brought his plate and the 
food w:is given to him. This he took home and ate. An Indian goes out and shouts, 
" Waldewak " — " Bring your plates." (Walet is plate. ) 

' In those days the horn was made of bark. 



27 

had to do as a married man. "Why," replied Gluskap, "as all 
others do. Work and support and raise a family." A few days 
went by and Gliiskap did not see his uncle. Then he went over 
to his lodge to find him. When he found him, he said, "I am 
ashamed of you — the way you are acting. 1 do not believe you 
have been out of the camp at all. You have been alongside of 
your wife all the time." Turtle said, "I must do that which you 
told me. You said I should raise a family." Gluskap said, "I don't 
mean that." "But what do you mean?" asked Turtle. "I want 
you to do the same as any other young man who gets married. Go 
off and hunt. Capture a whale. You should have done that 
even before you slept with your wife." Turtle chided Gluskap 
for not telling him beforehand, but the latter told him that he 
should have known these things. "But how can I capture a 
whale?" asked Turtle. "You go out to the end of the Metis 
and make a deadfall. Do that when the tide is low, and when 
the tide comes in the whale will be caught in it. Place heavy 
weights upon it, using seven loads of logs for this. After com- 
pleting it, test it. If it is not sufficiently weighted, put more on." 
So Turtle went out and built the deadfall. After he got it built, 
he set it. He did not know how he was going to try it. He had 
to try and see how strong the trigger was. Finally he crawled 
into it and sprung the trap and the weight came down upon him. 
Thus he was caught. He squirmed and tried to get out, but 
there was no way of doing so. When Gluskap saw that his uncle 
did not come back, he suspected what the trouble was, for it was 
all of his doing. So he wished him there for some time, and all 
his wishes were fulfilled. After a day and a night he wished 
him out of the trap. After he had gotten him out, he asked, 
"How did you get into the trap?" Turtle repUed, "I went in 
to test it." Gluskap repHed, "I didn't tell you to go in. You 
might have tested it with a log. Thus you might see how much 
it would hold." Then they went back to the village. 

In about a week's time he said to his uncle, "You ought to start 
tomorrow and inspect your traps and see how much you have 
caught. Then you will have done what a man should do who 
is newly married." Early the next morning Turtle started to 
his trap. When he got there, he found a big whale in the trap. 
He took it out and put it on his shoulder. After he brought it 



28 

to the village he threw it down before the door of the house where 
his nephew was staying. As it fell it jarred the ground. He 
shoved his head inside the door and said, "Nephew, I've got him." 
Gluskap said, "You fool, you, why do you bring it here? Why 
don't you take it to your father-in-law's?" Then Turtle placed 
it on his shoulder again and took it over to the house of bis father- 
in-law. The chief looked at it and said, "I did not think that my 
son-in-law could carry a whale on his back. Never could a man 
carry a whale before." 

So one day Gluskap said to his uncle, "Your brothers-in-law, 
those young Carabous, are going to play football. You ought to go 
with them. And after the game they will hold races." So they 
went out on the field where they were going to play. It was near 
the camp of the chief. There they played and Turtle performed 
excellently. And Gluskap thought, "Let my uncle fall down." 
So he fell down, and the others tramped over him. They stopped, 
and in the afternoon they were going to have a foot-race, and the 
winning post was near the camp of the chief. In the meantime 
Gluskap was in the chief's camp while the races were going on. 
When Turtle reached the crowd, the young Carabous said to him, 
"How can you run? You can hardly walk; you had better go 
back, as you wall shame us all." 

All the contestants stood up in line and Turtle was among 
them. Turtle sprang into the lead immediately, and when he 
got to the winning post, which was near his father-in-law's camp, 
he jumped right over the camp. Every time he jumped over, 
he yelled. But Gluskap thought to himself, "The next time you 
jump, you will be caught on one of the poles on the camp." It 
happened as Gluskap thought. Turtle got stuck on one of the 
poles and was changed into the form of a turtle. There he was, 
stretching his legs, trying to get loose, and feeUng very much 
ashamed of himself. 

Gluskap, who was inside the camp, pretended not to see him, 
but picked up a poker and began to poke the fire. The sparks 
and smoke flew out at the peak into the face of Turtle. He 
yelled down, "Do not poke the fire." Gluskap looked up and, 
seeing him, said, "What are you doing up there? You always 
want to do more than the other men, and now you are caught." 



29 

In the following winter, when the snow covered the ground and 
the time was good for hunting moose and all the sons of 
the chief were making snowshoes, Gluskap said to his 
uncle, "You go with them too, and make snowshoes." Turtle 
asked how big he should make them. "Seven times the span 
of your palm," replied Gluskap. So Turtle went home 
and told the old chief that he wanted a pair of snowshoes, 
as he was going out hunting with him. He wanted them 
seven spans in length and wanted them with fine meshes. 
The chief's wife, who did not like her son-in-law, replied, "He 
cannot go away from the house without getting snowed under." 
"Never mind," replied the chief, "do you not remember the time 
he brought the whale home?" So they got the snowshoes ready 
and started out. When his brothers-in-law saw him following, 
they said, "What good can you do here'' You had better go 
back. You can scarcely walk on snowshoes. You will only be 
a bother to us." For as they were going along Turtle would fall 
down every now and then, until he became so sore that he could 
scarcely walk. One of his brothers-in-law said, "We told you 
not to come along, as you would only bother us." Another said, 
"Put him on the toboggan, and when we reach camp we will 
let him attend to it. That is all he is good for anyway." 

The next morning they began to hunt the moose. Turtle 
insisted on going with them, but they wished to send him back. 
They came to a yard and one of the brothers said, "The moose 
have started," and they told Turtle to follow and perhaps he might 
overtake them by night if he went straight along. So they started 
after the moose and Turtle tried to go too. But he fell down 
immediately and they passed on their snowshoes right over him. 
Turtle was way under the snow. He had great difficulty in regain- 
ing his feet. Gluskap thought it was time he was doing better. 
So Turtle started. He jumped over low trees instead of going 
round them. He passed his brothers-in-law, but they did not 
recognize him, so fast was he going. They could not even follow 
his trail, as the steps were too long for them. When they finally 
overtook him, he had killed and skinned the moose and had cooked 
dinner for them. They felt very much ashamed when they arrived 
at the way they had been abusing him. After the meal they went 
back for their toboggans. When they returned they took two 



30 

quarters apiece, but there were still two moose left. Turtle piled 
it all on his toboggan. One of his brothers-in-law said, "He 
can't haul that." The two started and left Turtle pulling and 
trying to move his load. After his brothers-in-law had gotten 
out of sight, he started off and, taking a short cut, arrived ahead 
of them. They saw where he got ahead and one brother said to 
the other, "He can only have one quarter, going so fast." When 
Turtle got to the camp, he went right on with his load. The 
two brothers-in-lav/, seeing this, said, "He intends to go right on 
and say how httle we can do. We will have to go right 
on." 

In the night the chief woke up and went out to get some wood 
for the fire. Hearing the shrieking of a toboggan on the snow, 
he looked up and saw Turtle coming with the load. He went in 
and woke up his wife, saying, "Turtle has come with a load." 
But she replied, "What, do you suppose Turtle could pull a load? 
It is our sons." But the chief woke up his daughter and told her 
to get some food ready for her husband. Soon he appeared, and 
the chief said to his wife, "He has brought two moose in one load." 
His two brothers-in-law did not arrive until the next morning, and 
when they did, they were utterly exhausted. The next morning 
Gluskap went to see his uncle and praised him for his feat. 

Gluskap proceeded up the St. Lawrence river. Very soon he 
encountered some huge serpents, and also numerous canoes 
were seen lying about in the vicinity. Gluskap quickly came to 
the conclusion that the serpents had killed the owners of the 
canoes. But Gluskap continued until he arrived at the encamp- 
ment of some Indians. Gluskap immediately sought out the 
chief's lodge. Here there was given him some dried meat, but no 
water whatever. In eating this Gluskap nearly choked. Upon 
meeting the chief, Gluskap inquired why he had been given the 
dried meat to eat. The chief replied that it wa9 the customary 
diet offered to strangers. Gluskap then seized his bark dish of 
dried meat^ and hurled it into the fire, at the same time giving 
the chief to understand that he would have to go to the trouble 
of cooking some meat for him that contained some water. Glus- 
kap added that he thought the chief had designs upon his life by 

• The dried meat seems to have been the ordinary smoked dried meat which reauired mixing 
with grease or water before it could be eaten: it was pounded before eaten. 



31 

offering him this dried meat. The chief took Gluskap's actions 
and words for an affront and said, "You men who come to us 
from other bands do us great harm. There is a great man who 
lives up the river who has a host of serpents which have nearly 
killed us all." 

Gluskap inquired as to the identity of the man and his reply 
was that the man in question was a great chief called Gluskap, 
known to be the chief of all the tribes. This made Gluskap very 
wroth. He sprang up quickly and branded the story as a lie, 
declaring that he was Gluskap, chief of all the tribes, and that 
he would immediately seek out the man to put him to death, for 
he had killed all his people. 

Gluskap arose and declared that he would bring the man into 
his presence. He shouted and the thunder pealed and struck 
and knocked down the poles of all the camps in the vicinity. 
The chief now knew that it was really Gluskap and, therefore, 
rushed out to assemble all his band. They all quickly were gath- 
ered together and surrounded Gluskap. The latter then asked 
the chief what offense had been conrunitted by the man who pur- 
ported to be himself. The chief replied that he had killed more 
than half the band, especially women. Gluskap then asked the 
chief for the services of two men who were to go and fetch the fellow 
that Gluskap might see him. This the chief was reluctant to 
do, fearing that the men would suffer death, but his respect for 
Gluskap's power made it necessary that he comply with his orders. 

Two men were chosen to inform the man that Gluskap desired 
that he come at once into his presence. Soon the two messengers 
were standing outside the door of this great magician, who in a 
very gruff voice bade them enter, adding that he would soon roast 
them in the fire. But they delivered Gluskap's message. The 
great man replied that if Gluskap desired to see him he would have 
to come in person. Accordingly the messengers carried back to 
Gluskap the reply. But Gluskap bade the messengers to return 
again, making his command more emphatic. But the great man 
was unchanged in his attitude. But w'hen the messengers told 
him that there would be dire consequences if he refused to heed the 
commands of Gluskap, he assented, saying, "I shall go down to 
see the man who claims that he is Gluskap and I shall make 
trouble for him." 



32 

They started out, the two men having been ordered to carry the 
man's canoe down to the river. The two messengers, upon 
reaching what the man called a canoe, found a huge stone turned 
over, having the shape of a canoe. They reported to the great 
man that they could not budge it. At this the old man scoffed, 
saying, "How strange that Gluskap should send to me two men 
who were deficient in strength." The old man then picked up the 
canoe and carried it down to the river as easily as if it were made 
of bark. 

The messengers, as they passed by the camp, noticed three 
girls sitting within. Their faces were marked with scabs. They 
inquired of these girls what was their trouble. They told them that 
the old man had tortured them by burning them with a red-hot 
poker. When asked where they belonged, the girls rephed that 
they hved in a village which was some distance up the river, 
and they had not been there for quite some time. They also 
told the messengers that the old man could take any girl he desired 
from any of the villages; so much was he feared. The men then 
told the girls about Gluskap's being down at the village and of 
his power. They asked the girls to come with them to Gluskap 
and thus seek the latter's protection. 

They went down the river, and when they had arrived, the two 
emissaries at once proceeded to Gluskap and told him what had 
happened. When Gluskap heard all he said, "I was certain thac 
he would come. If he hadn't I would have killed him right where 
he was, but now I shall not put him to death until my brother has 
arrived." Gluskap was also told of the three girls. 

Presently they heard the approaching footsteps of the bogus 
Gluskap. His steps made the ground tremble. At this Gluskap 
remarked that he was approaching rather boldly. Gluskap then 
pulled out his pipe and filled it with megwins pipamp (Lovage), 
lit it, and blew great clouds of smoke into the camp. The chief 
did not understand this and asked Gluskap for an explanation. 
The latter replied that the false Gluskap would stand his club 
against the camp and thus try to break down the camp, since it 
was so hea\'y.i When the impostor came to the camp, he did 
place his club against the camp and was surprised to see that the 

1 It is not quite clear whiat magic Gluskao employed to prevent the weight of the heavy club 
from breaking the wigwam in. It is, however, evident that the smoke somehow prevents it. 



33 

camp was strong enough to resist it. He immediately realized 
that he had to cope with one who had great power. However, 
he put on a bold front and entered. He saw Gluskap seated and 
that on each side of his check bones was growing a stone. He 
entered and seated himself without going up to shake the hand of 
Gluskap. A few seconds later there entered the three girls to 
whom the emissaries had spoken. Gluskap bade them sit down 
on the vacant places beside himself. He then passed the pipe 
to the impostor for the latter to smoke it. But the latter was 
unable to lift it. It was too heavy for him. Gluskap laughed 
mockingly, saying, "What a great fellow you are to attempt to 
usurp Gluskap's name, when you are unable to lift even his pipe. 
Why is it that you can handle your huge club and canoe and paddle 
the latter?" 

The old man replied, "I do not use that kind of pipe. I have one 
which I would like to have you smoke." This made Gluskap 
realize that he had a hard man to deal with, but he accepted the 
invitation. The old man then lighted his pipe and handed it 
over to Gluskap. The latter was well aware what the old fellow 
had in mind to do. By this time the smoke from Gluskap's 
pipe had disappeared from the camp. This was the first time 
that the impostor had caught sight of the girls, who were sitting 
by the side of Gluskap. He interrogated the girls, asking them 
why they had thus come to a gathering of men. He commanded 
them to return at once to the camp and look after it. But the 
girls refused to go, saying that they stayed at Gluskap's side and 
would seek his protection. They said if they had to live and be 
tortured they preferred to die there. 

Gluskap took the pipe, but instead of smoking it himself, he 
handed it to the girls and they took a puff out of it. Then Gluskap 
took the pipe and threw it out of the top of the camp. Then he 
said to the old man, "That's the way I use a pipe coming from a 
stranger. I may be tempted to do the same with you before my 
brother comes." He then pulled forth from his pocket a stone 
which he gave to the girls, and he told them to rub their faces with 
it and then go down to the river and wash their faces. The girls 
did as they were told, and when they returned, all the scabs had 
disappeared from their faces. The impostor was certainly 
impressed by the great power of Gluskap. 



34 

But presently he arose and wished to fight. Gluskap bade him 
sit still, as he was not yet ready to kill him. Gluskap then arose 
and went out of the camp, accompanied by two men. He went 
down to the river. When they reached the place where the ser- 
pents had been seen, they made two deadfalls. After this was done 
they returned to the chief's house and, calling him forth, told him 
what had taken place. Then Gluskap entered again into the 
presence of the impostor. The latter complained to Gluskap 
that he was ill. He said he would need to exercise that day and 
that he would return on the next day. Gluskap told him that he 
would have to walk back on foot, because his canoe was broken. 
The pipe which he had thrown out of the smoke hole had struck 
the canoe and had broken it. 

The old man had to start back on foot. When he passed the 
place where he had left his snakes he called for them. They 
answered this call, but on trjdng to reach him, they were caught 
in the deadfall. One, however, was so povvx-rful that he escaped from 
the trap which had been set for him. Gluskap told the chief 
that he would have to follow this serpent to see that it did no dam- 
age down river. Gluskap ran fast and outstripped it and then 
lay in ambush for it. When it came in sight he slew it with his 
bow and arrow. When he had killed it, he summoned all the bugs 
and insects to partake of the serpent, which would supply them 
with food for a long time to come. Gluskap then returned to 
the chief and informed him that he had killed the helpers of the 
old impostor and that they would lose no more men through the 
serpents. But the man himself, he told the chief, was extremely 
powerful and in only one way could he overcome him. The 
only problem that disturbed him was whether to await the arrival 
of his brother or to slay the impostor at once. While they were 
discussing this, Weasel came into the chief's camp and informed 
him of the arrival of a man at Loup Cervier's camp. Gluskap at 
once knew that it was his brother. The chief immediately called 
in Sable and bade the latter go to Loup Cer\ier's camp to discover 
who the man was. Sable did as he was ordered. He soon 
returned and declared that it was Mikumwesu, a very small man. 
The chief informed Gluskap of this fact. Gluskap said he was 
long awaiting his brother, since he had not seen him for some time. 
It was indeed an opportune time, he remarked, for the meeting. 



35 

Accordingly, Gluskap ordered Sable to return and inform his 
brother of his presence in the chief's camp. Sable soon was in 
the presence of Mikumwesu again, and when the latter arose 
to go with him Loup Cervier remonstrated that it was not right 
that the chief should always ask that people come to his camp to 
see him. Mikumwesu, however, asked Loup Cervier not to be 
troubled by such a matter, especially since his brother was at 
the chief's camp, and that he had not seen him for many years. 
Mikumwesu arose from the ground right in front of Loup Cervier 
and, flying through the air, alighted on the cross poles of the chief's 
lodge. But he was visible to no one but Gluskap. The latter, 
on seeing him, gave him a hearty greeting, to which Mikumwesu, 
although still invisible, made answer. Gluskap then bade his 
brother come in. This the latter did through the smoke hole. 
Mikumwesu did not become visible until he was seen sitting by 
the side of Gluskap, smoking a pipe. The chief was very much 
astounded by the appearance of Mikumwesu and wondered that 
a man of his size could be possessed of such great power. 

Gluskap inquired of Mikumwesu how he happened to have 
come to that village. He replied that he had come from the 
north and had stopped in each village to see if he could find 
Gluskap. Gluskap then told him how opportunely he had come. 
He said to him, "There is a powerful man over yonder who has 
killed nearly half of this band. I want you to kill him." 

"Where is he?" said Mikumwesu, "I want to kill him at once." 

"Wait until tomorrow," said Gluskap. 

But Mikumwesu was determined to act immediately. He called 
Weasel and gave him his bow, bidding him go to the dweUing place 
of the man and shoot him in the eye while he slept. Weasel 
accordingly started out and came to the camp of the impostor. 
He crept around as noiselessly as he could, trying to locate his 
man. The impostor, however, spied Weasel and exclaimed, 
"Ah! Mikumwesu has sent you to my camp to spy and tell him 
on your return what is going on here." 

Consequently, Weasel had to return to Mikiunwesu and report 
that his plan was frustrated. When Mikumwesu heard the news 
he declared that he would go in person, for then the impostor 
would have to deal with a man who could make himself invisible. 



36 

Accordingly, Mikumwesu started out on his journey to the impos- 
tor's camp. He travelled through the air and alighted on a tree 
that was bent directly over his wigwam. From this point of 
vantage he could look directly down into the impostor's camp. 
He saw the false Gluskap stretched out upon the floor on his back, 
playing with and talking to his serpents.^ He was saying to 
them, "He has killed your father and your mother, but he has not 
killed you. In time you will be able to do as much damage as the 
larger serpents have done." At this moment, Mikumwesu took 
aim with his arrow and shot it into the eye of the false Gluskap 
and pinned him to the ground. ^ Mikumwesu tied the serpents 
up and brought them back to the village, where he tied them to a 
tree outside of the chief's camp. 

Gluskap came forth and asked his brother what he had done 
to the impostor. To this query Mikumwesu replied, "I wasted 
no time and despatched him. I fastened him to the ground 
and he will turn to stone. In this way he will be clearly visible 
to all the Indians that pass by. I have also brought back two of 
the baby serpents which you had failed to kill. They are outside, 
tied to the tree. Had I not gone myself, they would have remained 
unseen and would have grown up to do a great deal of damage." 

Gluskap deemed it advisable to kill the young serpents at once, 
fearing that they would grow very quickly. He had the bears 
called. These despatched the serpents at once and divided the 
spoils with the other animals. 

The chief went forth and proclaimed that the serpents and the 
great man who falsely called himself Gluskap had been killed. 
They all gathered together and sent forth men to spear salmon 
to provide for a good feast. Every canoe returned with a large 
load, for this was the first time that one had gone out spearing 
and returned in safety from the deadly serpents. The next day 
they celebrated at a great feast. IMany gifts were offered to both 
Gluskap and Mikumwesu, but they refused to accept any of them. 

During the course of the banquet Gluskap inquired of Mikum- 
wesu where he had seen Turtle last. Mikumwesu replied that he 
had seen him about two hundred years previously. 

1 These were some young serpents, the offspring of the old one which had been caught in the dead- 
faU. 

* This man can still be seen on the St. Lawrence river, my informant claims. 



37 

"At that time," said Mikumwesu, "He had fifty children." 

On hearing this, Gluskap repHed, "By this time he must have 
a nation of his own." Gluskap then inquired of Mikumwesu 
when he had last seen his wife. Mikumwesu replied that he had 
not seen his wife save once since the time they left. "My son," 
he said, "is travelling towards the west." 

"It is strange," said Gluskap, "that I have not seen him, for I 
have travelled over that way." 

Mikumwesu replied, "You could not discern him. For he 
travels after my fashion, right through the air." 

It was ten years before Gluskap and his brother left. Finally, 
when the ten years were over, Gluskap said, "I am going up the 
river to kill all the dangerous animals and break all the dams, so 
that the Indians can use them without incurring danger." Mikum- 
wesu decided to continue his journey southward. On the next 
day, Gluskap went up the river and told the tribe that he would 
return before long. He arrived at a place called KchikpihigAnuk 
(big dam), situated about where Montreal now is. In those days 
there was a big dam where the Lachine rapids now are. There 
Gluskap found many Indians. In the first camp that he entered 
he found an old woman living. The old woman. Owl by name, 
immediately ejaculated, "You are the man they call Gluskap." 

"Yes," repUed Gluskap, "I have come here to fix up everything." 

"That is indeed well," said she, "for the dam has done lots of 
damage. The water is foul and it abounds in serpents who 
devour all the fish. The man who falsely called himself Gluskap 
possessed many serpents which came up here." 

"Never mind," said Gluskap, "I shall fix everything up all right. 
I have killed the man who posed as Gluskap." 

The old woman then said, "We have here the uncle of that man, 
and he is almost as wicked as the man who was down the river. 
He takes all the game that we procure. He leaves for us only 
the parts that are hardly fit to eat, and very little even of that. 
In consequence, the people here are starving. I have nothing 
to eat, save if I cut off some of my own flesh." 

"You will not have to resort to that," said Gluskap, "for I have 
killed two beavers on my way up, and if you go down to my canoe 
you will find them there. Bring back also my paddle and weapons. 



38 

Moreover, let no one know that I am here. In a short time we 
will have a fine supper." 

Owl did as she was directed, but felt so happy that she began 
to sing. She then went back to get the rest of Gluskap's things, 
continuing all the time to sing. When she had emptied the canoe, 
she turned it over. She picked up Gluskap's bow and arrow and 
his paddle, and on arriving with them to the camp, she discovered 
that Gluskap had already skinned one of the beavers. The old 
woman then took it, cleaned it and prepared to cook it. She 
wanted to notify the neighbours, but this Gluskap would not permit. 
When the beaver was almost done, the old woman went out to 
fetch some water. She was still so happy that she could not 
refrain from singing. 

The old magician who was wont to take from all the people their 
food, heard old mother Owl singing and began at once to suspect 
that something was wrong. He, therefore, summoned Skunk and 
bade him go over to Owl's camp and learn what it was that made 
her so happy. When Skunk arrived at her camp, he discovered 
Gluskap and Owl sitting together and feasting. He also spied 
the huge beaver that was hanging from the pole of the wigwam. 
Skunk returned and told the shaman what he had seen. When the 
shaman heard this he decided to get the beaver. He accordingly 
sent Skunk over to slay Gluskap by voiding the contents of hia 
bladder upon him, 

Gluskap had, however, seen the Skunk. When the latter came, 
he was prepared to receive him. He had prepared a bark torch 
and fastened it to a stick. The old Owl then inquired what he 
intended to do with it. "Oh," replied Gluskap, "Skimk is coming 
to shoot the contents of his bladder upon us, and I wish to scorch 
him when he tries it." 

"No, don't do that," said the old woman, "for Skunk is one of 
the favorites of the shaman. If you do that he will kill us both." 

"Fear not, mother," replied Gluskap, "I will see to it that neither 
of them will harm us." 

Skunk arrived presently and Gluskap was in position to receive 
him and carry out his plan. A few seconds later the Skunk was 
running fast towards the shaman's camp, burning and yelling for 
assistance from the shaman. When he arrived at the latter's 



39 

camp, his master was scarcely able to recoj^nize him. He was 
burnt so badly that he swelled out considerably. The shaman 
was very much enraged at this. When he learned what had 
occurred, he sent out Mink to Owl's camp to get definite informa- 
tion as to the identity of the stranger. Gluskap, however, had 
in the meantime gone to set a trap, and old woman Groundhog 
was \isiting old Owl when Mink arrived. The former was inquiring 
of the latter where she had gotten the beaver meat. To which the 
old Owl replied that she had obtained it from the great chief Glus- 
kap, who had come from afar in his canoe. Then old woman 
Owl related how Gluskap intended to kill the shaman, who was 
the uncle of the man whom he had slain down the river. Ground- 
hog then inquired whither Gluskap had gone. Owl told her that 
he had gone off to set a beaver trap. 

Groundhog then inquired if Gluskap had a wife with him. To 
this Owl replied that she guessed that she would be his wife. 

"But Gluskap would not have you," said Groundhog. 

"Then why did he prefer to come to my camp when there were 
so many others that he might have gone to?" answered old Owl. 

When Mink heard these things about Gluskap, he returned to 
the shaman's camp and reported them to the shaman. The 
shaman was very much enraged when he heard of the death of 
his uncle. He also was enraged to hear of the plot against his 
own life. 

But nothing of moment took place that night. On the next 
morning Gluskap went forth to \'isit his traps and found a couple 
of beavers in them. When the shaman discovered that Gluskap 
was catching abundant game and bringing it into Owl's camp, 
he decided he would put an end to it. He went over in person 
to Owl's camp. He was in the act of taking down the beaver meat 
when Gluskap entered. The latter took hold of him and forcibly 
sat him down. He then ordered Owl to go forth and summon 
the chief and all the people. The Owl did as she was commanded, 
and presently all the people were assembled in Owl's camp. 
Gluskap then bade the people go to the shaman's camp and take 
all the meat that he had in his possession and distribute it among 
the people. He declared that he had no intention of killing the 
shaman, but rather intended to starve him. So Gluskap told 



40 

the Indians to build a sweat-house that would be so tight that no 
heat could possibly escape. Then Gluskap put him into it, when 
it had been constructed. He kept throwing hot stones in and 
throwing water on them. The heat became so intense that the 
old man begged for a Uttle air, but Gluskap refused to give it to 
him, mockingly asking him where his power had gone. 

While the old man was thus being tortured, a Thunder Cloud 
appeared on the horizon and drew very close. It was not very 
loud thunder, however, and Gluskap thought that he recognized 
the voice of Mikumwesu's son (his nephew) . Soon young Thunder 
descended and was delighted to see Gluskap after so long an 
absence. Gluskap then told Thunder that he desired him to kill 
the shaman, who was then being tortured in the sweat-house. 
He also told him that he wanted him to destroy the dam com- 
pletely, so that the river would be thoroughly clear. He then 
wanted him to go down the river and destroy all the dangerous 
beasts. These things his nephew promised to do. 

Gluskap then departed, intending to visit his grandmother, 
whom he had left many years before, when he set out on his 
wanderings. 

(2). Gluskap and the Turtle. ^ 

Turtle wanted to get married and, therefore, inquired of Gluskap 
how to go about getting a wife. Gluskap said, "Go and hunt a 
whale." "But I have never hunted whales. How do you do it?" 
replied Turtle. Gluskap said, "Go down to the bay and build a 
deadfall." "But how can I find out when I have one strong enough 
to hold a whale?" inquired Turtle. To this Gluskap answered, 
"Go try it yourself." Now Gluskap was a powerful shaman and 
whatever he wished Turtle to do Turtle would have to do. There- 
fore, when Turtle tried the trap, Gluskap wished that it would 
catch him — and it did. 

Three days later Gluskap went to the trap and found Turtle 
in it. He asked Turtle what he had done and expressed his sur- 
prise and chagrin at finding him trapped in this way on the eve 
of his marriage. Gluskap then assisted Turtle out of the trap. 

I The following story was secured in Malecite text, and translated by Simon Paul, of Tobiaue 
Point. N.B., in August, 1910. 



41 

Turtle then asked Gluskap what undertaking he was to enter 
upon next. Gluskap told him to set it again and he would catch 
a whale. Turtle did as he was bidden and Gluskap's prediction 
was fulfilled. The whale was then laid before the chief's door. 

The chief naturally judged Turtle to be a great hunter on seeing 
the game he had caught, and, therefore, was anxious to have him 
as his son-in-law. Turtle assented, a great feast was held, and 
an elaborate wedding dance followed. 

After the marriage, however, Turtle, being naturally lazy, 
would do no hunting, but lived at the expense of his fath(;r-in-law. 
This made Gluskap feel very much ashamed of him and he urged 
him to go out hunting, advising him to make a pair of snowshoes 
and go moose-hunting. jMuch to Gluskap's delight Turtle suc- 
ceeded soon in catching a moose. 

Soon Gluskap and Turtle parted, the former going off, much to 
Turtle's regret. After Gluskap's departure Turtle became lazier 
each day. As a result the chief would keep him no longer and 
Turtle had to go off elsewhere. He swam around until he came 
to a Micmac village, where he found a woman who pleased him 
exceedingly. They, therefore, lived together. Turtle took the 
shell off his back and used it for a canoe in which they paddled 
around. 

After a time Gluskap began to wonder what had become of 
his friend Turtle, and started out in search of him. He finally 
found him with his Micmac woman. Gluskap asked him why he 
had deserted his wife, and Turtle replied that her temper and 
treatment of him were so unendurable that he was forced to leave 
her. But Gluskap knew otherwise; he knew that it was due to 
Turtle's indolence and laziness that the chief had sent him off. 
He, therefore, told Turtle to go back to his wife, promising to make 
the necessary arrangements with the chief. Everything happened 
as Gluskap had predicted. That very night, when Turtle went 
to bed, Gluskap changed him into a real turtle. The next morning 
the chief's daughter was surprised to find a turtle at her side. 
This greatly alarmed her, but she knew that it must be her husband. 
Gluskap then changed Turtle back into a man again and thus 
gave the people to understand that Turtle must be a marvellous 
man to perform such feats. 



42 



(3). Gluskap's Tricks.' 

Gluskap was living for a time at an Indian village. Turtle lived 
outside this village. They w^ere great friends, and Gluskap called 
him uncle. Turtle believed everything Gluskap ever told him. 

One day Gluskap said to Turtle, "A fine, big, active man like 
you ought to have a wife. Why don't you get married? Why 
don't you marry the chief's daughter?" Turtle was very wilUng 
and gladly consented, but far from being a fine, big, active man, 
he was small, old, and lazy. He did not see how he could get the 
chief's daughter to marry him and he put this problem before 
Gluskap. Gluskap advised him as follows: "Go to the bay and 
make a big deadfall. You can catch a whale in it and thus prove 
to the chief what a great hunter you are." 

Turtle went down to the bay immediately. He cut down a 
tremendous tree and built a huge deadfall. Gluskap told him to 
try the deadfall once, but not to dare try it a second time. Gluskap 
left him and Turtle tried the deadfall. He easily escaped, because 
Gluskap so willed it. But Turtle thought to himself, "That log 
is too light; if I can escape so easily, it will not hold a whale at 
all." So he took it out and cut down the largest and heaviest 
tree he could find. When the trap was completed he tried it a 
second time, but this time, of course, he was caught and was 
drowned. 

Three days later Gluskap came along and brought Turtle to 
life again, and then asked him what he was doing. Turtle replied, 
"I was trying the weight of the log, when I fell asleep." 

After removing Turtle from the trap Gluskap set it again and 
soon they caught a whale. Turtle then asked Gluskap what was 
to be done with the whale. Gluskap in reply bade him take it 
up and convey it to the door of the chief's wigwam. Turtle 
always tried to do whatever Gluskap bade him, and he usually 
was surprised to find that he could do whatever he tried. So 
this time he picked up the whale and carried it to the door of the 
chief's house without the slightest difficulty. The chief, on seeing 
this done, deemed Turtle to be a great hunter and powerful man, 
and, therefore, readily gave his assent when Turtle asked for his 

'■ Obtained from Jack Solomon, French Village, July, 1910. 



43 

daughter's hand in marriage. The chief prepared a great feast, 
and a big dance was held, which lasted several days. 

Part of the festivities was a ball game. The chief's daughter 
had been a great favorite of the young warriors and they were nat- 
urally very jealous of Turtle. Gluskap knew that they would kill 
him if he did not intervene and save him. Now the wigwam of 
Turtle's father-in-law was to one side of the place where they 
were going to play ball. Gluskap told Turtle to jump over this 
wigwam when he got the ball and the young follows came after 
him. Gluskap cautioned him not to do it more than once. 

Soon after the game started Turtle got the ball. Immediately 
all the players started after him, with the full intention of killing 
him. Turtle ran towards the wigwam and lightly jumped over it. 
In this way he eluded all his pursuers. But the thought occurred 
to Turtle, "Now that I can easily do that, I will get the ball again, 
and again I will jump over the wigwam." He obtained the ball a 
second time and jumped, but instead of clearing the vngwam he 
caught in the intersection of the poles right above the smoke hole. 

That night Gluskap went to the chief's house. At first he pre- 
tended not to see Turtle, but finally he looked up and said, "What 
are you doing up there, Turtle? Aren't you ashamed of yourself 
to be caught on the smoke hole so soon after you were married?" 
Then Gluskap took him down. 

On another occasion Gluskap persuaded Turtle to go hunting 
with him. Turtle could not travel very fast and moreover he had 
only one snowshoe, therefore Gluskap told him to get the Caribou 
boys to haul him to the hunting grounds. Turtle started on ahead 
with the Caribou boys, Gluskap following later. The Caribou 
boys travelled so fast that Turtle rolled off the toboggan into the 
snow, and before Turtle could call to them the Caribou boys were 
out of sight. They were going so fast that they could not hear him. 
They had proceeded several miles before they discovered the 
accident. 

Meanwhile Gluskap passed close by Turtle, but he pretended 
not to see or hear him, and not much later Gluskap had overtaken 
the Caribou boys. They were considerably agitated over the loss 
of Turtle and feared lest he freeze. Gluskap assured them, how- 
ever, that Turtle must have gone on ahead to get the camp ready. 



44 

This they were reluctant to regard as credible, but, trusting in 
Gluskap's wisdom, they continued on their journey. On arriving 
at the hunting grounds, sure enough. Turtle was there. He had 
a wigwam built and there was plenty of game in it. All this 
Gluskap had accomplished, for it gave him keen pleasure to hear 
Turtle brag, and, also, he wanted the Caribou boys to regard 
Turtle as a great hunter. 

(4). Gluskap's Origin.' 

(Frorn Rand's " Legends of the Micmacs ") 

Gluskap was one of twins. Before they were born, they con- 
versed and consulted together how they would better enter the 
world. Gluskap determined to be born naturally; the other re- 
solved to burst through his mother's side. These plans were 
carried into effect. Gluskap was first born; the mother died, 
killed bj*- the younger as he burst through the walls of his prison. 
The two boys grew up together, miraculously preserved. 

After a time the younger inquired of Gluskap how the latter 
could be killed. Gluskap deemed it prudent to conceal this, 
but pretended to disclose the secret, lest his brother, who had 
slaughtered the mother, should also kill him. But he wished 
at the same time to know how the younger one could be despatched, 
as it might become convenient to perform the same operation 
upon him. So he told his brother very gravely that nothing 
would kill him but a blow on the head dealt with the head of a 
cat-tail flag. Then the brother asked, "And how could you be 
killed?" "By no other weapon," was the answer, "than a handful 
of bird's down." 

One day the younger brother tried the experiment. Procuring 
a cat-tail flag, he stepped up slyly behind his friend, and gave him 
a smart blow on the head, which stunned him; he left him on the 
ground for dead. But after a while he came to; and now it was 
his turn. So he collected a handful of down, and made a ball of 
it; and with this ball he struck his younger brother and killed him. 

Gluskap had many enemies, -sdsible and innsible. The wolves 
were his dogs; and their dolorous howl and the scream of the loon 
were notes of lamentation. These animals and birds were lament- 
ing for their master, now that he was gone away. 

■ The following intormation respecting GluskaD was given me by Gabriel Thomas, of Frederio- 
ton. I auestion. however, whether it does not refer to some other fabulous person. 



45 

(5). Wind Bird.^ 

Raven was a chief who had a band of followers, among whom 
were his son-in-law Turtle and the Caribou boys. For many 
days none of this band had done any hunting or fishing, for it 
was so windy that they could not get near any game, nor did any 
one dare launch a canoe. Gluskap was then staying at that \illage. 
He knew why it was windy., for the Wind Bird was flapping his 
wings harder than usual. So he advised Chief Raven to send the 
Caribou boys up the mountain where Wind Bird lived, to tie his 
wings. The Caribou boys went. It took them a long time to 
get to the mountain, but when they got there they found Wind 
Bird flapping his wings and making a great noise. It was so 
windy that they climbed up the mountain with difficulty. Wind 
Bird was making such a noise that he did not notice them, so one 
of the Caribou boys picked up a stone and knocked Wind Bird 
down. Before he could get up, they tied him fast with cedar 
bark ropes. Then they returned home. 

For a while everything was delightful. They caught many fish 
and killed much game, but there was no wind at all. After a time 
all the waters became stagnant. It was very warm, too, for there 
was no cooling breeze. Then Chief Raven consulted Gluskap, 
for he did not know what to do. Gluskap told him to send the 
boys back and order them to untie one wing. Raven ordered them 
to go, and they untied one wing and loosed him. 

Since then everything has gone well. There is only occasionally 
a high wind. That is when the Wind Bird is trying to escape. 

(6) . Sakilexis Aids the People. ^ 

One day, when Sakilexis was on a journey, he came to a village 
on a stream. The first house he came to was the one in which 
Woodchuck lived. She welcomed him cordially, but soon began 
to cry, for she knew how badly strangers were treated in that 
village. She made such a noise that the villagers came to see what 

' Obtained from Joe Nicholas. Tobique point. August, 1910. 

' This story was obtained from Frank Francis, Tobiaue Point, N.B., in August, 1910, Although 
my informant called the hero Sakilexis, it should undoubtedly be Gluskap. I have never met 
any other Indian who has heard of Sakilexis; those who know this adventure all attribute it to 
Gluskap. Moreover, in Leland, "Algonquin Legends of New England," pp. 114-118, this story is 
told of Gluskap. See also pp. 7, 51, and 52 of the present volume. 



46 

was the trouble, and when they saw it was a stranger, they began 
at once to plan how they could kill him. 

They had in that village the skull of a great medeulin (shaman), 
which would open its mouth and bite whenever it was thrown at 
anyone. Then its jaws would close like a steel trap, which meant 
certain death to anyone who might be near it. Not long after they 
had discovered Sakilexis they came to him and proposed that he 
should join them in a game of ball, to which, of course, he con- 
sented. The first man who threw the ball did not hit Sakilexis, 
but Saldlexis saw the danger, for the skull bit at him. So when 
it was thrown at him again, he succeeded in kicking it so hard 
that he broke it to pieces. Some of the Indians were glad, for 
they were sorry to see so many strangers killed. 

The next day the villagers came to him again. This time they 
wanted him to wrestle. Groundhog told him that he would be 
killed if he went, but he said he could take care of himself. When 
he came to the wrestling place, he was very much surprised, for 
he found a rocky place instead of a grass plot. In the middle of 
the pile of rocks a man was standing with his legs planted in holes 
up to his knees. As soon as he saw Sakilexis he said, "Is that 
little fellow the one who wanted to wrestle so badly?" Sakilexis 
said, "I can't wrestle \ery well, but I'll try wrestling with you 
anyv/ay." The big man said, "You catch hold first, and see if 
you can throw me." But Sakilexis said, "You try first." But the 
wrestler insisted, so Sakilexis took hold, and as he did so, he said, 
"I wish his legs would break ofT just like cedar sticks." As soon 
as they began to strain, his legs did break just like cedar twigs. 
Sakilexis picked him up and tossed him headlong on to a pile of 
sharp rocks. That was his last wrestling bout. 

The people now hailed Sakilexis as a great hero. They thanked 
him for killing the tyrant and breaking the skull. Soon his fame 
spread to a village where the people were suffering on account of 
the failure of their water supply. All the streams had dried up 
and the people were dying of thirst. They sent messengers to 
Sakilexis to ask him to come up and save them. Sakilexis asked 
the cause of this drought, for there had been plenty of rain. They 
said that AkwulAb^mi, the Master of Water, was the cause of 
the drought. He had built a dam and had thus formed a great 
pond. Here he stayed all day long and drank the water. 



47 

Sakilexis promised to deliver them, and went to the dam. There 
lay AkwuUb^mi, with his belly as large as a hill and his mouth 
as big as a cavern. Sakilexis said to him, "Break down your dam, 
so that the brooks may fill up and the people may get some water 
to drink." AkwuUb^mi told him to go about his business. 
Sakilexis said, "If you don't break it at once, I will pierce your 
belly and kill you. Then I guess they will have plenty of water. 
I'm the man who killed the \vrestlcr." Then AkwuUb^mi 
became frightened and promised to obey. He broke his dam, 
and all the rivers were flooded and the people had plenty to drink. 

(7). Some Adventures of Gluskap.^ 

[His adventure of diving and crawling along the bottom; 
his adventure with the Half-stone man; his adventure with 
the Sharks; his adventure with the Thunder; with the 
Wizard; with the Skunk; and how Sable fooled his sister.] 

Gluskap lived with his younger brother and sister. The brother 
wished to depart in order to marry a chief's daughter who lived on a 
large island. Gluskap accompanied him, leaving his sister behind. 
They proceeded down to the shore, where they found Gluskap's 
canoe, which was made of stone. After turning it over and drain- 
ing out the water, they embarked in it. They then started to go 
to the island. On the way they played altestaganuk,^ a short time 
after which Gluskap's brother declared he was hungry. Gluskap, 
however, urged him to wait, and they continued playing. 

Shortly after Gluskap dived in and crawled along the bottom 
to the place whence they had started from. He soon found his 
sister and bade her put up some food. She prepared some corn 
soup fattened with beaver meat and other viands, put them up 
in a bark dish, and gave them to Gluskap, who went back to the 
canoe by the same route that he had come by. After his brother 
had eaten his fill, they proceeded on their journey to the island. 

When they found the chief's house, Gluskap put his brother 
alongside of the chief's daughter and said to him, "This is your 

' This story was secured from Mrs. Grey, of Cacouna. Quebec, in June, 1911. It does not seem to 
be a story concerning the culture-hero Gluskac. However, since my informant called the chief 
character Gluskap, I have classed it as such. 

' A game of dice with sticks and disks. 



48 

wife." While Gluskap was conversing, the chief's boy appeared 
and stated that Half-stone man wanted to play dice with Gluskap. 
In a few minutes he arose and went to the Half-stone man and 
played dice with him. They played for wampum, and soon 
Gluskap was in possession of all his opponent's wampum. This 
irritated the Half-stone man considerably, and he felt that if he 
broke the dish,^ Gluskap would be unable to win further. Accord- 
ingly, when it was his turn to throw he hit with all his might, 
so that it split and all the dice went flying about. Gluskap 
unconcernedly said, "Oh, that's all right, I have some in my little 
bag." So they went on playing and Gluskap still won. While 
they were thus indulging in this pastime, the chief's son came and 
said that sharks had carried off his sister, whom Gluskap's brother 
had just married. But Gluskap was not alarmed and declared 
that presently he would go in pursuit of his sister-in-law, and 
meanwhile kept on playing. 

A short time later Gluskap proceeded to the shore, dived in and 
swam to where the sharks were, and took his sister-in-law from 
them and brought her back safely to his brother, admonishing 
her not to leave the man who was her husband. He then betook 
himself to Stone-man and ordered him to give up playing dice 
with anyone whatsoever. 

Soon after Gluskap came into contact with Thunder. He was 
a great and powerful wrestler and wished to coml)at Gluskap. 
Gluskap agreed to wrestle wath him among the rocks. While 
they were struggling, Gluskap thought, or willed, that Thunder's 
legs be broken off just below the knees. Then Gluskap seized him, 
hurled him among the rocks, and killed him. Gluskap then came 
back to his brother and sister-in-law and told them that he planned 
taking them back with him in the canoe. So they embarked, and 
after a while the woman began to cry. On inquiry Gluskap 
learned that the cause of her tears was a medeulin^ which she saw 
in the distance. To Gluskap this meant more adventure and more 
fun. He went over to where the medeulin was, and camped there 
for the night. During the night the wizard arose and scattered 
some firebrands all around Gluskap, his brother, and his brother's 
wife, that it might spread and burn them up. He thought that 

' In which the dice were tossed. 

' Shaman. 



49 

Gluskap was asleep, but the latter was wide awake and saw it 
all. When the wizard lay down to sleep again, Gluskap arose, 
and with his bow brushed the bark and other combustible material 
aside from his relatives and pushed the fire and firebrands over 
towards the medeulin, and in his sleep the wizard was soon con- 
sumed in flames. 

The next morning Gluskap wanted to go out fishing. He took 
his sister-in-law's fishing hook. She wanted to accompany him, 
but he refused to assent to this, declaring the wind to be too strong 
and that it would blow her hair off her head. Accordingly, Glus- 
kap went alone. When he had been out but a short time upon the 
water, the Wind-wizard raised such a wind that it blew his stone 
canoe very far out and blew all the hair from his head, except a 
little on the back. After a while the wind died down and Gluskap 
went to seek out the Wind-wizard. The latter told Gluskap that 
it was always so windy when he himself went out. But Gluskap 
saw through the deception and forbade him at the peril of his life 
ever to raise such a wind again. After this they departed again 
in their stone canoe. 

Shortly after his sister-in-law began to cry again, and on inquiry 
this time he learned that Skunk-wizard was near at hand. But 
Gluskap reassured her, telling her that there was some more fun 
in store for them. Skunk turned his anus toward them to break 
wind and blow them away, but Gluskap exerted all his strength 
and caused the canoe to be lifted far away out of harm's reach. 
Then he prepared a plug and returned to where Skunk was. 
They caught him and plugged his anus up. Then Gluskap asked 
him never to do that again. 

Then they started home. They had been absent for some 
time. Their sister had been taken sick, and on their return she 
reproached them for their negligence. 



50 

POKTCINSKWES STORIES 

(8). The Bear Lover, Magic Pipe, Storage of Water, and Other 

Incidents.^ 

Poktcinskwes and her husband and their two children were 
hunting together. Her husband used to go away every morning 
to attend to his traps, and he would leave his wife and children 
at home. Poktcinskwes used to say to her older child — the younger 
one was still sucking — "I am going away now to dig Indian 
potatoes^ and will not return for some time." She did not, how- 
ever, go to dig Indian potatoes but went to her bear lover, who 
lived in a hollow log. When she arrived at this log, she would 
knock three times on top of it, and then the bear would know that 
she had come. Then he would come out and spread a deerskin 
on the ground, and then they would copulate. 

This went on for many days, but finally one day her husband 
came home early and inquired of the older child where his mother 
was. He replied that his mother had gone to dig Indian potatoes 
and had been gone all day. That night, when Poktcinskwes came 
home and did not have any potatoes with her, her husband grew 
suspicious but said nothing. So the following day he made a 
pretence of going to attend to his traps, but after going a little 
way returned home and, hiding within view of the camp, watched 
it. Not long afterward his wife came out of the wigwam and dis- 
appeared in the woods. Her husband followed her and saw her 
stop at the hollow log. He hid in the bushes to see what was going 
to happen. Soon the bear came out and spreading the deerslcin 

1 The following story, which was obtained from Louis Paul, of St. Mary, in July. 1911, seems 
quite badly mixed. One would suppose that it was made up of several myths, which, indeed, seems 
likely. The first part. The Bear Lover, seems to have little connexion with what follows and, in- 
deed, seems to have a different spirit and style. I would be tempted to consider it as belonging 
to an entirely different class of myths, if it were not for the tact tliat among the Menominee (I4th 
Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology) we find a similar story coupled with the culture hero. 
In the Menominee Myth the grandmother of the culture hero has the bear paramour. The culture 
hero finds this out in a similar manner, but sets fire to the bear. Instead of forcing his grandmother 
to eat it, he eats it before her eyes. The Fox (Jones' "Fox Texts." page 161) have a story which 
resembles this Malecite tale very much more closely than the Menominee story just mentioned. 
In our story of the Bear Lover, the guilty wife is in all probability not Polctcinskwes, for her actions 
eeem incompatible with what we know of that character (see pages 54-61.) I can find no version 
of it in either Leland or Rand. However, Leland gives a story of a woman who has a serpent lover. 
which shows some points of similarity (Leland. "Algonquin Legends of New Enaiand," p. 293). 
Rink gives a tale quite similar to Leland"s in his "Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo,'" p. 14.5. 
The other incidents are coupled with various individuals in other myths; they will be pointed out 
in the order of their occurrence. 

2 Tnesc are the roots of a certain herb, which is quite common in New Brunswick. They have 
very little resemblance to potatoes. 



51 

on the ground, lay down on it with the man's wife. Howc\'er, 
the husband restrained himself and hid away until his wife re- 
turned home. Then, after the bear had re-entered the log, he 
went up and killed him.^ Then he returned to camp, entering 
from the direction of his traps. That night, while they were eating 
supper, he told his wife that he had killed a bear and asked her 
if she could eat it all. She, not suspecting that it was her lover, 
said that she could. So the man went to where the bear lay and 
skinned it, so that his wife could not recognize it.^ Then he 
brought it into camp, again entering from the direction of his 
traps. After cooking the bear, his wife ate it all. Then her hus- 
band told her what he had done, and went away and left her. 

Soon after he left, she told her sons that she could not stay with 
them after the trick that their father had played on her. So, 
cutting off her right breast,' she told her older son to tell his 
father that she left that to feed her baby with. When the father 
came home and saw what his wife had done, he was very angry 
and decided at once to follow. Before going he left a stone pipe 
with the children and told them to look at it every morning until 
they found it filled with blood, which would be a sure sign that 
their father was killed.^ 

After many days he tracked his wife to a village. Poktcinskwes 
had there married Chief Klu. The husband entered Wood- 
chuck's house.^ As soon as she saw him, she began to cry. 
When the chief heard her crying he said, "A stranger must have 
arrived, for I hear Woodchuck crying." So he sent Martin to 
find out. Martin peeped into the wigwam and saw a stranger 
within. So he returned and told Klu what he had seen. Im- 
mediately Poktcinskwes knew that it must be her husband, 
and told the chief to send Raven to eat him up. So the chief 
sent Raven, who ate the man up. 

The following morning one of the boys looked into the pipe 
and saw it overflowing with blood. They knew at once that their 
father had been killed. So they started to find the murderer. 

' In the Fox stcry the husband kills the bear when he catches him in union with his wife. 

2 In the Fox story he force? liis wife to flay it. 

' This incident is found in Rand, "Lepcnda of the Micmacs." p. 59. 

* The incident of the magic pipe is common; it occurs also in the second Mekweisit story. 

' Woodchuck is always an old woman in Malocito mythology. Tlie strangers always entered 
her house on arriving it a village. Immediately she begins to cry. My informant said, "If you 
take notice, woodchucks are always crying when you see them feeding." 



52 

They finally arrived at the village where the father had been killed. 
They too, entered Woodchuck's house, and again she began to cry. 
Again the chief sent Martin to see what was the matter with 
grandmother. Martin returned and told the chief that there were 
two strangers in Woodchuck's house. The chief's wife again urged 
her husband to send Raven to make away with them. But Raven, 
when he saw them, took a fancy to them and brought them home, 
and told his wife that he wished to adopt them, for they had no 
children. So they considered how they could keep the two boys 
without the chief's finding it out. They decided to make two 
birchbark boxes,' and put a boy insiide each box. Raven Uved 
a considerable distance from the chef's house, so that the chief 
would not find out the boys' presence save by accident. Raven 
fed the boys well, and every night you could hear the boxes crack 
and creak as the boys grew. Raven was kept quite busy making 
new boxes to fit them. After a while they began to crawl out 
of the boxes and around the wigvi^am. Later they grew too large 
to be recognized, and Raven discarded the boxes. Then he made 
them little bows and arrows. At first they couldn't use them, 
but they soon learned how, and later the larger boy shot a chick- 
adee. Then he went to Raven and asked him to make him a 
larger bow, so that he could shoot something larger. Then Raven 
proudly said to his wife, "Didn't I tell you those boys would be great 
men some day'^" With his new bow the older boy now shot a 
robin, and took it to Raven and asked for a larger bow. 

One day the boys went to the village and recognized their mother, 
who was the wife of Klu. She did not recognize her sons, not 
suspecting that they were alive. Soon after the older boy killed 
his first big game, a moose.- The old folks made the feast ready 
and the boy told his grandfather to cook the liver just as dry as he 
could. When the feast was ready, the chief came with his wife 
and their little baby. Many other people were also there. The 
older boy gave his mother the dry liver to eat. While she was 
eating it, he took her child and dropped it. Although she saw 
what he was doing she could not yell, for her mouth was full of the 



' People or spirits are commonly kept in birchbark boxes in the mythology of this region. Rand 
in hia story of the Magical Dancing Doll relates a similar incident. 

2 When a young man killed his first big game, he had to make a feast. 



53 

dry liver. So the baby was killed and her efforts to scream 
choked her. 

A trail led by their camp. Raven had cautioned the boys not 
to use this trail, but they paid no attention to him. They had 
been very successful in their hunting and had collected a large 
quantity of jerked moose meat. So they took the moose meat and 
started back this trail. They travelled two days and came to the 
house of Groundhog. They entered it and immediately she 
began to cry and said, "Boys, you have disobeyed Raven and you 
are almost sure to be killed. Still, if you follow my directions, 
you may escape. When the people discover that you are here, 
they will ask you to play ball. They will have a skull for a ball. 
Be careful not to catch this skull in your hands, but if you get a 
chance, kick it.'"^ Not long after the Indians found out that two 
strangers had come to their village. Everything happened just 
as Groundhog had foretold. When the ball came toward the older 
boy, he kicked it, and it flew across the field straight toward a 
man who was standing there. The ball, which was a skull, opened 
its jaws and bit the man, killing him. Then they started the skull 
again, but this time one of the boys kicked it so hard that it broke 
in pieces. Then the boys returned to Groundhog's house, and 
the next day they started on their journey again. 

They travelled along a rocky trail for a week and wore their 
moccasins out. Every day the trail grew smaller and smaller, 
but still they did not come to any camps or rivers. On the 
seventh day they heard the sound of chopping and went toward 
it, and found it was Raven who was chopping. Raven took them 
home, but scolded them severely because they had not heeded 
his advice. 

A short time after that they collected a large quantity of moose 
meat and started on a second journey. They travelled for many 
days before they came to a village. They noticed that the rivers 
were very small, as if there was a great drought. They had great 
difficulty in getting water. At last they found a village and 
entered Woodchuck's vdgwam. They asked her for a drink, 
and then she began to cry, saying, "Akwulubemi has collected 
all the water." Then they insisted that she go and ask him for 

1 The same incident occurs in the sixth story of the preeent collection. 



54 

some. So she went to Akwulubemi and he gave her some dirty 
water that he had used to wash in. When grandmother Wood- 
chuck brought the water back to the older boy, he became very 
angry and threw it out of doors, for it was so dirty. Then he sent 
the old woman back for more water. This time Akwulubemi 
had just finished washing his feet. So he gave her that water 
to take back. This time the younger brother became very angry 
and went to Akwulubemi and told him he must give him some 
good water. Akwulubemi refused to give him any water. So 
the youth grappled with Akwulubemi and finally threw him down, 
breaking his back. Then they broke the dams and let all the water 
flow in the streams. 

Then the boys again started away and came to a river, on the 
shore of which lay a stone canoe. They launched it and began to 
play altestagenuk.i After a while they drifted past a village 
where there were many beautiful maidens who kept coaxing the 
boys to land, which they finally did, while the canoe floated off 
and sank. After a while the boys went to sleep, and during this 
sleep the older one dreamt that the fire kept moving over toward 
him. He took out his knife and stabbed it and it died down. 
Then he looked for his brother, but he was not in the wigwam. 
So he got up and went and walked for a long while before anything 
happened. It was quite dark, however, and at last he walked into 
a deep chasm and fell down. At the bottom he found a big tree 
which he chopped down with his knife. 

When he awoke, his brother was not in the wigwam, nor could 
he find any of the maidens. So he walked down to the seashore 
and found a hollow log. He crawled into it and closed up the 
end. He floated around for a long while, and finally noticed the 
log had ceased to move. So he opened the end of the log and 
looked out. To his surprise he saw a great many lumpegweno- 
sizuk playing on the seashore. When he called to them, they 
ran down and jumped into the sea. He wanted very much to 
catch one. So be dug a hole in the sand and crawled in and covered 
himself up. Soon the little fellows came out and started to play. 

1 This same consists of a diah made of bird's-eye maple, six round bone disks, and fifty-four 
counters. This is the Algonquin game of disks and dice common throughout this area. See S. 
Culin. "Games of the North American Indians," 24th Annual Report of the Bureau of American 
Ethnology, pp. 49-86. 

* They are little people who inhabit the water. 



55 

After a while they were playing right over him. So he jumped 
up and seized one. He said to the little fellow, "Now, I have 
caught you, so you will have to be my chum." The little fellow 
said that it was impossible, but that he would go and get his 
sister who would chum with him. The older brother was reluc- 
tant to do this, for he feared that he would see neither the little 
fellow nor his sister again. The little fellow promised to leave 
his belt behind him.* So the older brother consented and in a 
little while the little water spirit returned with his sister and 
left her with the older brother. The older brother started with 
his httle companion, and when night came, they put up a wigwam; 
and while he went to collect the firewood his little companion 
hid behind one of the poles. When the older brother returned, 
he was very much disappointed not to find the little water spirit. 
When she saw how downcast he was, she was very much pleased 
and came out from her hichng place. During that day's journey 
he had not been able to kill any game, so he was very hungry. 
He had not spoken of this to the little water spirit, but she knew 
what was troubling him and said, "We'll soon have supper." 
She put a grain of corn and a very small piece of moose meat into 
a tiny bark pot and put it on the fire to boil. The older brother 
thought to himself, "What use will that little bit of meat be to 
me?" She knew what he was thinking about and said, "Don't 
you worry about it, for there wall be plenty for both of us." When 
the food was cooked, and they began to eat it, there was plenty 
and some left over. Every night afterward she did the same 
thing and the meat sufficed until they got back to Raven's house. 
So that when she began to bake bread out of snow, they didn't 
say anj^thing. 

(9). Poktcinskwes I^. 

A band of Indians who had a chief by the name of Raven were 
hunting together once, when the chief's wife became sick and died. 
Then they moved on to the hunting grounds of Sturgeon, who 
was an Indian who wore a sturgeon skin coat. He looked just 

1 This is an instance of contagious sympathetic magic. By leaving the belt with the older 
brother the water sprite puts himael f in his power. Instances are very comrnon throughout the globe 
where power is gained over a person by the possession of a belt or hairstring. etc. Rand gives aa 
excellent example in his tale No. LX\ai. "Caught by a Hairstring." 

'The following story was obtained in text in January. 1911, from Jack Solomon, of Central 
Kingsclear. 



56 

like a sturgeon, lived with his grandmother, and seldom spoke. 
One day his grandmother said to him that it was time for him 
to get married, but he said, "Grandmother, the girls are too 
proud here to suit me, but I will marry. The one who can feed 
me with Indian corn soup^ shall be my wife. Tell the girls this." 

Then the old woman told the girls about it. She said, "Who- 
ever feeds my grandson shall be his wife." Now there were 
three girls in the chief's house. These girls dressed themselves 
in their best clothes and went to feed Sturgeon. One after 
another they tried to feed him. Soon after each one began to 
feed him, he would vomit in her lap. The girls left him, saying 
that nobody could feed him. All the girls tried except the chief's 
youngest daughter, and at last the chief said to her, "My little 
one, you had better go and try," but she answered, "I'm not 
pretty enough." Nevertheless she fixed herself up and went to 
try her luck. On the way she met Poktcinskwes and asked her 
where she had been. Poktcinskwes said she had been to Sturgeon's. 
She was carrying something on her back and the chief's daughter 
asked her what it was. Poktcinskwes said that it was a baby. 
The chief's daughter was surprised to see her carrying a baby, 
so she asked her whose baby it was. Poktcinskwes said it was 
Sturgeon's. The chief's daughter then asked Poktcinskwes to 
show her the baby, but Poktcinskwes refused, for she really had 
a piece of hemlock bark.^ When the chief's daughter arrived at 
Sturgeon's house she entered, and the old woman said to her, 
"My grandchild, have you come to feed my grandson?" She 
replied, "Yes, grandmother." 

Then the old woman gave her some Indian corn-meal, and she 
said to the other girls who had come with her, "I can feed him. 
You girls didn't treat him right." So she fed him and he vomited 
on her, but she paid no attention to that, but kept on feeding him 
the corn-meal until he had eaten it all. Then she went home and 

1 Indian corn soup ie made from corn, which was ground between two stones; the lower, about 
six inches in diameter, was softer and had a slight declivity into which the upper, which was smaller 
and harder, fitted. These stones were the only method ot grinding com employed until twenty years 
ago. both among the Micmacs and Malecites. Many Indian families still have them. This com 
soup was somewhat thinner than thin mush. It had some fat, preferably of beaver, in it, besides 
the ground corn. 

2 My informant evidently has in mind the incident where Poktcinskwes is fastened to a tree by 
Fisher's magic and gets away only by taking part of the tree with her. See Leland, p. 48. 



57 

told hor sisters that she was going to be married at once.^ The 
oldest sister said, "I'd better marry Sturgeon; you are too homely." 
But the younger sister replied, "Don't bother me, sister! Why 
didn't you feed him just as I did i* You girls were much too partic- 
ular." Then Sturgeon's grandmother said to the youngest 
daughter, "You did just right when you told your sisters not to 
bother you." 

After the marriage was over they had a big feast. ^ Sturgeon 
had gathered together plenty of every kind of meat for it. Then 
Poktcinskwes little by little stole all this meat, but nobody could 
tell who the thief was, for she changed her appearance every time 
she came. But one day, when the boys and girls were playing in 
Poktcinskwes' camp, they saw how many provisions she had. 
So they told the chief about it and he ordered them to go and get 
the provisions. After they had gone to her wigwam and taken 
all the provisions away from her, they began the dance.^ It was 
then that Sturgeon first took off his coat.* That was the first 
time that they were able to see what he really looked like. He 
was, indeed, a handsome man. Poktcinskwes was dancing with 
the rest, but Sturgeon did not know her and thought she was his 
own wife, for she had taken her form. Two days after the dances 
were over, Poktcinskwes disappeared. Three weeks after this 
some one said, "What is the matter with our grandmother Wood- 
chuck? She is crying."'^ Then they sent Mink® to see what was 
the matter with Woodchuck. "Perhaps some strangers have 
come," they said. When Mink got there, Woodchuck said, "Go 
away from here. You are always the first to come whenever any 
stranger arrives." 

' This Cinderella incident, where the youngest and despised daughter gets a husband desired by 
her older and more favoured sisters, is a common one. occurring among the Micmacs. See Rand. 
p. 104. The incident of the disguised suitor is a similar one, in which the young man is rejected 
by the older daughters and marries the youngest. After the marriage he outs on his fine clothes, 
and the older daughters are then very sorry that they rejected him. For the rejected suitor, see 
Rand, "Legends of the Micmacs," d- 336. 

' After every marriage of any importance was celebrated, a feast was held. Indeed the feast 
was the principal part of the marriage ceremony. It was the duty of the bridegroom to provide 
the meat for this feast. 

' The ceremony was held up because of the disappearance of the provisions to be used in the feast. 
Dance here is practically eauivalent to feast, for the dance was a part of the feast and took place 
immediately afterwards. 

* His coat was a magical one made out of the skin of a sturgeon. By wearing it he could disgiiise 
himself as a sturgeon. 

' This is the usual Malecite m>-th formula. A stranger always goes to Woodchuck's house first, 
and she invariably begins to cry. because of the danger the stranger is in. This liabit of crying 
was probably suggested by the natural call of the woodchuck. 

• Usually Mink is the one -lont to spy on the stranger. A mink would make an excellent spy. 



58 

Then Mink went to the chief's camp to notify him. He said, 
"A woman has come to Woodchuck's house who looks like your 
wife, chief." The chief sent his daughter ^ to find out about it, 
When she came to Woodchuck's house, she peeped in. Immedi- 
ately she started to cry and said, "Is that you, mother?" "Yes, 
my child, it is I," Poktcinskwes answered, for she had assumed the 
form of the chief's dead wife. The chief's daughter said, "You 
had better come home with me," but Poktcinskwes said, "I can't, 
I'm too wet. "2 

The chief's daughter returned home, and her father said, "Who 
is it?" She replied, "It's my mother." Then the chief said to 
his youngest daughter, "You had better go and tell your mother 
that I say she should come home." 

When the youngest daughter got there and saw her mother, 
she too began to cry and said to her mother, "My father told me 
to tell you to come home." Then Poktcinskwes said, "Your 
father had better come himself if he wants me to come home." 
Then the youngest daughter went home and said, "Father, my 
mother says you must come after her yourself if you want her to 
come home." Then Chief Raven started immediately, .lust as 
soon as he saw his wife, he also burst out crying. His first words 
were, "Where have you beeni*" She said, "I have come from the 
place where you buried me." Then the chief said, "You had 
better come home," but she replied, "I can't go home now; my 
clothes are wet through. If you get me some dry clothes, I'll 
go home. Bring the dress I wore when I got married." The 
chief went after it and soon brought it back, and after she had 
put it on they went home together. 

Everybody was very much surprised to see the chief's wife, for 
they all knew that she was dead. The chief made preparations 
for a big feast and they danced for one whole week.-^ A year 
afterward she had a baby, which Skweotimos* had brought. 

Two years after the feast they found out that she was not the 
chief's wife, but Poktcinskwes. The chief called together all the 

' This must have been one of the older daughters. 

* It is not clear what she me;ms by being too wet. I'erhaps it was a rainy day, but more orobably 
she refers to the fact that she had come out of the gra\e. where it would naturally he wet. 

' Of course this is not any set feast or dance, but a feast of thanksgiving. After the return of 
a auccfssful war party a feast of thanksgiving was celebrated, as well as on other fitting occasions. 

* Skweotimos is a mythical Malecite character thiit haa now taken on the European functions 
of the "stork" in addition to his own characteristics. 



59 

men and told them it was Poktcinskwes. Then he said, "Make 
as big a fire as you are able. When you have made it, let me know." 
When they had finished making the fire, they told him, and he 
said, "Kick Poktcinskwes into the fire." So they kicked her into 
the fire. Then she said, "I'd like to turn into moose-flies, mos- 
quitoes, and all kinds of bugs." And as the sparks and ashes 
ascended from her body, they turned into various insects.^ 

(10). Poktcinskwes 11.^ 

Poktcinskwes wanted to get married. Although she was very 
good-looking, she could not get any one to marry her, for she had 
such a fiery temper. 

At last she dressed a log up like a man, and put it in the corner 
of her wigwam. She cooked supper and arranged everything for 
two. She called her husband and told him supper was ready. 
Of course, he did not budge. She tied her skirt fast to the log with 
a piece of cedar bark and told him she would leave him if he did 
not treat her better. He did not answer. She said, "Now, 
I'm going," and started away. After she had taken a couple of 
steps the cedar bark pulled her skirt. She said, "I knew that you 
would not let me go. You won't do amiihing I ask you." 

(11). Fisher and Poktcinskwes — First Version? 

Fisher was going to be married to Whistler, and Poktcinskwes 
was jealous of her, for she wanted to marry Fisher herself. One 
day Fisher and Poktcinskwes set sail in their canoe for an island 
to hunt bird eggs. Poktcinskwes had her clam with her, who 
was a great shaman and could foretell the future. When they 
arrived at the island, they separated so as to cover more ground. 
While Fisher was hunting eggs, Poktcinskwes returned with her 
clam to the canoe and set sail. Later in the day, when Fisher 
returned to the place where the canoe was, he found that it was 
gone. There was no way for him to get back to the mainland. 

• This incidont of the ashes of a malevolent being becominK the troublesome insects is a common 
one. In Micmac it is the bones of Kitpooseagunouo's father that are ground up and cast in the air 
to become noiious insects. See Rand. "Legends of the Micmaca." d- 67. I also have a slijhtly 
diRerent version of the Kitpooseagunow myth, which I hope to publish in Micmac together with 
Other Micmao myths. 

• The following short story was told me in the summer of 1910 by old chief Francis' wife, of To- 
biaue Point. 

• Obtamed from Jim Paul, St. Mary, July, 1911. 



60 

While he was standing on the beach, Fox came along and asked 
him what was the trouble. When Fisher told him, he said he was 
very sorry but could not help him. He advised him to call Grand- 
mother Heron. So Fisher did what Fox advised him to do; and 
when Grandmother Heron came, he told her what was the matter. 
Grandmother Heron said she did not think she was strong enough 
to carry him on her back to the mainland, but if he would first 
get her some little fish to feed upon, she would try to see if she could 
rise with him on her back. Fisher did as she requested and when 
she had eaten the fish, he got on her back and she tried to rise, 
but she was unable. She told Fisher to call Grandfather Whale, 
for she was sure he could ferry him across to the mainland. 

So Fisher called Grandfather Whale, and when he came, Fisher 
told him what was the matter. Grandfather Whale told Fisher 
to get four round white pebbles and get on his back. These peb- 
bles Fisher was to use to make the whale go faster, in case it went 
too slow. So Fisher got on its back and they started off. They 
had not gone far when Fisher began to sing derisively, "I am carried 
along by an old bulge-eyed fellow whose hair is all dishevelled." 
Grandfather Whale was being followed by a lot of small fish. He 
thought they were doing the singing. So he asked Fisher what 
they were singing. Fisher said they were singing, "Hurry up, 
grandfather; hurry up, old man; take your grandson ashore, for 
a big storm is coming." Soon after this Fisher threw the white 
pebbles one after another to make the whale go faster. The last 
one he threw when they were quite close to the shore. So Whale 
went very fast and got stranded far upon the beach. He was very 
angry when he found he was stranded, for he didn't know how he 
could get off. But Fisher promised to shove him off. After 
Grandfather Whale was afloat again, Fisher went away. 

He had not gone far when he met Grandmother Groundhog. 
She had his little brother Sable on her back. When he saw Fisher 
coming he was very happy and cried out, "0, grandmother, here 
comes my brother Fisher." So Groundhog looked around and 
saw her grandson Fisher. She too was glad to see him, for he 
was a good hunter and always kept them well supplied with game. 
She ran toward her grandson and little Sable fell off her back. 
It was some time before either Fisher or Groundhog noticed his 
absence. Then they went back to where Groundhog had been 



61 

when Sable first saw B'isher, and hunted for Sable, but he was not 
to be found. 

Meanwhile, Sable had wandered off and come upon a big snake, 
who said when he saw Sable, "Ho! ho! Now I will hav(; a fine 
fat roast for supper. Go get me a nice straight stick, so I can use 
it for a spit to roast you on." So Sable went away to hunt for 
a straight stick and began to cry and sing, "O my brother Fisher, 
thoy are going to roast me on a spit." Fisher was hunting for him 
at the time and heard him singing. So he found his little brother 
and asked him what was the trouble. Sable said, "A big snake is 
going to roast me on a stick and has sent me to find a straight stick." 
So Fisher said, "Don't get a straight stick, but get as crooked a 
one as you can find, and when the snake reproves you, tell him that 
you will straighten it for him. Then heat it as hot as you can, 
and say to him, 'that is good enough for you,' and strike him over 
the head with it. I will wait near by and will kill him as he chases 
you." Sable did as his older brother told him, while Fisher hid 
himself in the bushes beside the trail. When Sable ran by, 
followed by the snake, Fisher jumped out and cut the latter to 
pieces. 

Then they made a feast of the snake and invited everyone to 
come and eat it. So when the guests arrived and they divided it 
up, the head fell to Pismire, who was displeased and grumbled. 
But Fisher told him not to be dissatisfied, for there was lots of 
meat inside the head, and after he had eaten up the meat it would 
make him a large house with lots of rooms in it.^ Even today 
pismires always build their mounds with lots of rooms in them. 
Turtle was late in coming to the feast, for he was a slow traveler. 
When he arrived and asked for his share, Fisher was angry because 
he had come so late. So he turned him on his back and took 
some of the blood of the snake, which by this time had congealed, 
and threw it at him. It fell on the under side of his legs, where 
you can see it to-day if you will look for it. 

After this Fisher and his brother Sable returned home and 
Fisher got ready for his marriage with Whistler. When Poktcin- 
skwes knew that Fisher was planning to get married, she decided 
to try and catch him. So she hid behind a tree and waited for 

1 Compare p. 77 of thia volume. 



62 

Fisher to come back from the chief's house. When Fisher got 
near the tree, he knew that Poktcinskwes was waiting behind 
the tree to catch him. So he used his wish^ that Poktcinskwes 
should be stuck fast to the tree. So when she tried to jump out 
and catch him, she could not, for she was fast to the tree. So 
Fisher went on to the wedding dance. Poktcinskwes had a little 
axe with her. With this she began to chop herself free and after 
a while she succeeded in doing so, though there was still a large 
piece of the tree fastened to her, which she could not get off. 
So she covered it up with a blanket in order to make it look as 
though she were carrying a baby on her back. She followed 
Fisher to the dance, took her place beside Fisher and danced beside 
him all evening. Someone asked her what she had on her back, 
and she replied, "It is my baby." Then they asked, "Who is its 
father?" "Fisher," she said. Poktcinskwes caused so much 
trouble that Fisher decided to burn her up. He set fire to her 
wigwam, and as she was burning, the last thing she said was, "I 
want to become bees, hornets, and flies and mosquitoes, so that I 
can bother the people all the time." And when the wind blew 
the sparks into the air, they became bees and all other sorts of 
noxious insects. 



(12.) Fisher and Poktcinskwes — Second Version.^ 

Poktcinskwes, Fisher, Martin, and Bear were all collecting 
eggs on an island. Fisher and Martin were brothers and Bear 
was their mother. Poktcinskwes was a powerful medeulin 
(shaman). 

All of them had come in Fisher's canoe. Poktcinskwes put 
Bear and Martin in the canoe and pushed off with them. She 
paddled them to the mainland. When they got to the clam beds, 
she told the clams to laugh at Fisher, if he followed them. Fisher 
was sleeping while they were crossing. When he awoke, he noticed 
that his canoe was gone, and he knew that Poktcinskwes must 
have stolen it. 

1 There are many instances of the potency of a wish in Malecite and Micmac folk-lore. 

2 Obtained from Mrs. Sabatis Innis, Tobiane Point. Angust, 1910. 



63 

He waited on the beach until he saw a Whale. He called to him 
and said, "Grandfather, set me across." The Whale was willing to 
oblige him because he addressed him as Grandfather, but he said, 
"I think you are too heavy; you will sink me." Fisher said, 
"No, I won't; let me try." Saying this, he stepped on, and since 
the Whale did not sink, Fisher was in a hurry to be ofT, but the 
Whale said, "No, first get three smooth white pebbles, and if I 
go too slow, throw one at my head, and I will go faster." 

Fisher did as he was told and then got on again. At first the 
Whale was fast enough, but after a while he slowed down. Fisher 
threw a pebble at him and he increased his pace. Soon afterward 
he slowed down again, and he heard the clams laughing and knew 
that the water must be shallow. Fisher threw another pebble at 
him, and again he increased his pace, and soon he was hard and 
fast ashore. 

It was late when they arrived at the other shore, so Fisher slept 
there all night. When the morning came, he helped the Whale 
out into the deep water, and then he started on Poktcinskwes' 
trail. Finally he saw them ahead. Bear was carrying Martin 
on her back with his face towards the rear. For that reason Martin 
saw Fisher coming and exclaimed, "Here comes my brother Fisher !" 
Bear and Poktcinskwes turned around, but Fisher had disappeared. 
Poktcinskwes said, "Oh no; your brother is a long ways from here 
now. He will have a hard time getting here too." Then they 
went on again. In a little while Fisher came in sight again. 
This time Bear and Poktcinskwes turned around quickly 
when Martin said, "Oh, there's Fisher," and, much to their 
surprise, saw him too. When they were camping that night, 
Poktcinskwes left camp for a short time, and while she was away, 
Fisher came into the camp and told Martin to throw Poktcin- 
skwes' child into the fire. When Poktcinskwes came back and 
saw what had been done, she chased Martin to kill him. Fisher 
was hiding behind a rock, and he jumped up when she caught Mar- 
tin. Poktcinskwes was frightened when she saw Fisher and said, 
"I was only playing with Martin." Fisher knew what she wanted 
to do, and threw her into the fire. As the ashes and cinders flew 
up, they became black flies and mosquitoes. 



64 
(13). Fisher.i 

As Fisher was going away, he heard some girls laughing. So 
he went toward the sound of their laughter, and when he came to 
where they were, he found them standing by a swing. They 
immediately invited him to swing, but he refused, saying he was 
afraid the rope would break. So the girls offered to try it first. 
While they were swinging, he cut the rope and they fell into a huge 
kettle, which was boiling over a fire nearby. Fisher went away, 
leaving them to scald to death. 

Soon Fisher came to some women who were making tump 
lines^ out of the inner bark of the l)ass-tree. After watching 
them a while, he told them that when his sister made them she 
always baked them and it improved them very much. So one 
of the women gave Fisher one to roast, and after he had finished, 
it proved to be an excellent one. Then all the women roasted theirs 
and, of course, burnt them all. 

Then Fisher went away and found some women who had four 
children each. Fisher told these women that they looked just 
like his sister. After a while he told them how his sister raised 
her children, which was to put them in a stream to soak over night. 
He said that when the child was removed the next day, it was a 
full-grown man. So one of the women gave him her child to 
soak, and on the following morning, when he removed the child 
from the stream, it was a full-grown man. When the other women 
saw this, they too put their children to soak, and, of course, 
drowned them all. 

Fisher left before the women had removed their children from 
the stream and soon came to a house where two very old women 
lived. They recognized him at once and one said to the other, 
"Now Fisher must die." Saying this, she took her little axe and 
killed him, skinned him, and put him into a pot to boil. While 
he was cooking, one woman was seated on each side of the fire 

1 This story was obtained in text from Mrs. Sabatis Innis. of Tobique Point, N.B.. in August. 
1910. It is quite evident, from its beginning, tliat an incident whichi is closely connected with what 
follows has been omit'.ed. According to Leiand the various incidents of this story are performed 
by Racoon. The incident of the skinning and cooking of the hero is related in the story called 
"How Master Fox olayed a trick on Mrs. Bear," p. 174 of Leland's "Algonquin Legends of New 
England." The other incidents are found in the story called "How Fox deceived the Ducks, 
cheated the Chief, and beguiled the Bear, " p. 1S6 of the name book. The story of the skinning 
and cooking of the hero, Leiand gives as Micmac. Of the latter he has two versions, one Micmac 
and the other Passamaquoddy. 

2 The tump lino is a burden strap which passes from the burden resting on the small of the back 
across the forehead. If the burden is a heavy one, it is worn across the forehead. If the burden 
is a light one it is worn across the chest. Tump-lines were formerly plaited out of the inner bark of 
the bass tree, as the ones in this story, or they were cut from a tanned moose-hide. 



65 

sewing. After a while Fisher jumped up aud sphishod the buihng 
water over both. At once both the old women got angry and 
accused the other of splashing the water on her, which of course 
she vehemently denied. Then they fell to fighting, and while 
they were fighting, Fisher jumped out of the kettle and, snatching 
up his skin, ran away. 

Soon he came to a house where a family of bears lived. Seeing 
only small bears about, he inquired of them where their parents 
were. Wlien they told him that they were away hunting, he killed 
them all, save the smallest, which escaped and hid away. After 
he had killed them, he set them up on their haunches and propped 
their mouths open, so that it looked as though they were laughing. 
Then Fisher went away. When the old bear came home that 
night, he thought that his children were laughing, so he said, 
"Why are you laughing, my children? I have not killed any game 
to-day." Then the little bear came out of hiding and told his 
father that Fisher had done it. 

MEKWEISIT STORIES. 
(14). Mekweisit and His Brother.^ 

Jack Solomon's Information About Mekweisit. 

In olden times there was a tribe of Indians who were red. Each one of theHe red men was known 
by the name of Mekweisit, "little red one." Whenever any of the other Indians came near, those 
natives would run away. It was very seldom that an Indian could see one. and if ho did. he waa 
almost sure not to get a good look. Their dress was unlike the dress of the other tribes. They 
wore a loin cloth and lesKings and moccasins of a peculiar cut. They did not wear any covering 
for the rest of the body, but instead they painted it a deep red. 

One day, a couple of Indians found some of the red men in swimming. When they came out. 
they were not red as the Indians expected, but were the colour of the other tribes of Indians. This 
surprised the Indians very much and they asked the red men why they were not red as they usually 
were. A Mekweisit replied, "None of us are red, but we paint ourselves red each day." Then the 
Indians asked him why they were not friendly with the other Indians, but always ran away. To 
this he answered, "We do not want you to know that we paint; we want you to think we are always 
red." 

While walking along the shore of the sea one day, Mekweisit 
and his brother were very much surprised to see a strange land 
off in the distance. Mekweisit made up his mind that he would 
go and see it. 

Since he would need a canoe to reach it, he had to camp for 
a few days and build one before he could cross over. When 
the canoe was completed, he paddled across, and, on drawing 
near the shore, the first things he saw were two little people. 

' The following story and the explanation of the "Red People" suggest at once the Beothukfl. 
There is little doubt that they were known to the Malecites. by hearsay at least. The statement 
in regard to their dress and painting seems to have some basis in fact. The story and the information 
were both given me by Jack Solomon, ol Central Kingsclear, in July. 1910. 



66 

One was already undressed, but the other was just undressing. 
Mekweisit waited until he finished undressing, and then both 
of the little creatures went in swimming. Mekweisit landed some 
distance from where they were, and, going quietly along the shore, 
he took the little fellow's clothes. Then Mekweisit covered him- 
self with sand, so they could not see him when they came out from 
their swim. 

The little fellow hunted around for his clothes and, as he could 
not find them, he knew that someone had stolen them. He at 
once called out, "Give me my clothes; I must go." Mekweisit 
answered, "Come and get them." But when the httle man came 
towards the place where he heard the voice, Mekweisit jumped 
out of the sand and caught him. He begged Mekweisit to let 
him go, but the red fellow said, "No, we must be chums." The 
little fellow replied, "That cannot be, for I have a chum already. 
But if you will let me go, I will go and get you a chum." "Who 
will this chum be?" "I will go home and get you my sister." 
"Oh no! If I let you go, you will not come back." "Yes, I will I 
Yes, I will!" — So Mekweisit let him go; but after he had vanished 
from sight, he was sorry he had done so, "For," he said to himself, 
"I should not have let him go. He will not come back." He 
made a wigwam, however, and camped there to see if he would 
come back. 

As soon as Lumpegwinosis was set free by Mekweisit, he went 
straight home. When he came to his wigwam, he said to his 
sister, "I promised a young fellow that you would be his chum. 
You must go with me to him." His sister said, "All right. If 
you have promised, I will go." The next day, while Mekweisit 
was sitting in his wigwam, Lumpegwinosis came and said, "This 
is your chum. No matter what she does, do not scold her." Then 
Lumpegwinosis left them, and Mekweisit grew very fond of his 
wife, and his wife liked him very much too. 

Meanwhile, Mekweisit's brother was still waiting for him on 
the shore where they had built the canoe, so he began to think 
something had happened, and decided that he had better go and 
find his brother. He made a canoe and crossed over the bay 
(gulf). He found his brother's canoe lying upturned on the beach, 
and in a little while he came upon this wigwam. He was much 
surprised to see the dainty little wife his brother had. The three 



67 

camped together for some time, and Mekweisit's brother p;rew 
very fond of Mekweisit's little wife. Every morning when 
this Lumpegwinosis combed her hair, Mekweisit's brother 
watched her. 

One day Mekweisit went out hunting while his wife and her 
brother-in-law stayed at home. When his sister-in-law began to 
comb her hair, he said to her, "Let me comb it for you," and she 
replied, "You may if you want to." While \\v. was combing it, 
Mekweisit came back. He did not say anything then, but he 
was very jealous. The following day he spoke to his brother 
about it and told him he would have to go away. Accordingly 
the brother left. 

After his brother had been gone for a few days, Mekweisit was 
sorry that he had sent him away. He remembered that his father 
had told him before he died not to quarrel with his brother, no 
matter what he did. He knew that he had told his brother the 
same thing. That was why his brother had not become angry 
when he sent him away. 

One day he told his wife to pack up plenty of food, for he 
was going to hunt for his brother and bring him back. "I am 
sorry that I sent him away," he said. "You must stay in camp 
alone until I come back. Here is a pipe thnt my grandfath^T 
gave me ; when it is filled with blood, you will know that I have 
been killed." After she got the food ready for him, he started 
away. Every once in a while she would look at the pipe to see 
if it was still empty. 

The fifth day after leaving home, Mekweisit found where his 
brother had been, for he had left a red spot on the stone where 
he had been sitting after taking a swam. This stone was on the 
shore of a large body of water. Mekweisit decided that his brother 
must have crossed over to the other side. There was no canoe on 
the shore and Mekweisit sat down and cried, for he did not see 
how he could get across. 

On the other side of this lake was his grandfather's wigwam, 
but he did not know it. His grandfather had a very wise dog. 
Now this dog began to howl just as soon as Mekweisit began to 
cry, and his grandfather knew at once that somebody wanted to 
get across; so he sent a man over in a canoe to see. Mekweisit 



68 

was very glad when he saw a canoe coming. He got in, and they 
went back to his grandfather's, where he found his brother, who 
asked where he had left his wife. Then Mekweisit told him that 
he had been hunting for him for five days. Mekweisit said he was 
sorry for what he had done and that he wanted him to go back 
and live with them. He said that his wife was waiting for them. 
His grandfather said, "No, you must go back and get your wife 
and then we will all live together here. How did you lose your 
brother?" "We were hunting together and I lost him," repHed 
Mekweisit. "That is not so," said the grandfather. "You had 
a quarrel with him." 

The next day his brother paddled him back to the other shore. 
It took several days to reach home. His wife had been very 
lonely all the time he had been away and was very glad to see him 
again. He told her that he had found his brother and also his 
grandfather, and that they were going to live with them. "Pack 
up plenty of food and we will start tomorrow," he said. 

The first thing his wife did was to make a tiny canoe about 
as long as one's hand. When Mekweisit saw it, he said, "What's 
that for?" "To take us across the lake," she said. Mekweisit 
did not see how they were going to get across the lake in a canoe 
of that size, but he did not dare ask her more about it, because 
her brother had warned him not to offend her. She then made a 
tiny little bark kettle and took a little piece of moose meat. "Now, 
Fm ready," said she. He said, "Aren't you going to get some pro- 
visions together''" She answered, "No; I have all we need." 
He wanted to expostulate with her; but he dared not do so, for 
her brother had said, "Let her have her own way in everything, 
and it will come out all right." He said, "Well, if you are ready, 
we will start right away." 

Then they started off, he carrjdng the canoe and she carrying 
the little kettle. That night, when they made camp, she made a 
fire, put up a forked stick, and hung up the kettle, just as if it 
were a big one. He wondered at the proceeding, but he dared 
not question her. When the little piece of moose meat was done, 
she cut him off a piece, although the whole thing was no larger 
than a walnut. But as soon as she had cut the piece, it became as 
large as a good-sized piece of boiled moose meat. Every time she 



69 

cut a piece off the meat remained the same size, hut the slice 
grew large. Thus they travelled for three days, and the moose 
meat did not give out. 

On the morning of the fourth day they came to the lake on which 
his grandfather lived. Mekweisit was going to call so that 
somebody would come after him, although the lake was far too 
broad for his voice to carry across. But his wife said, "Don't 
call for a canoe; it will be of no use. Take hold of one end of this 
canoe and pull, and I will pull from the other end." So they both 
took hold and pulled. To Mekweisit's great surprise, the canoe 
stretched until it was large enough to hold them both, and plenty 
of room was left for their belongings. 

They launched the canoe and paddled across. His grandfather 
was very glad to see them, and after he had greeted them, he said 
to Mekweisit, "Now you must go over to the village and tell all 
the people to assemble here." "I don't know the way," said 
Mekweisit. "Follow my dog and he will show you the way." 
So he followed the dog until he came to the shore of a lake. Mek- 
weisit wondered how they could get across; but the dog evidently 
did not wonder, for he immediately began to howl. It was not 
long before a canoe put out from the opposite shore. When it 
had come across, Mekweisit said to the solitary Indian, "Tell the 
people to come over to my grandfather's wigwam to-night." 
Without asking any questions the Indian said, "I will tell them." 

The dog took him home by a different way, but it was not long 
before they were back. "Now," said his grandfather, "cook 
plenty of food, for to-night we are going to have a big wedding 
dance." So they went briskly to work and got everything ready. 
That night the whole village came over, and they danced and 
feasted until daybreak. 

(15). Mekweisil.i 

Three Indians were living together — two brothers and their 
sister. Both men were great medeulins (shamans), but the older 
was the greater. The girl was well behaved and did everything 
ehe was told to do. Her two brothers were often away. 



' ObUised from Mrs. Laport. Tobique Point. N.B.. in Aagust, 1910. 



70 

In all things but one the girl had her way, for her brothers 
forbade her to go into the southland. The girl promised never 
to go, but as soon as her brothers had gone out of sight she was sorry 
that she had promised, for she wanted very much to see the country 
to the south of her. She decided, however, to go just a little way 
south. 

So she set out and travelled a long time, and the country through 
which she went seemed very beautiful to her. She saw nothing to 
fear, and this made her wonder why her brothers would not let 
her go south. Finally she came to the sea-shore. It was the first 
time she had ever seen the sea, and she thought it was the most 
beautiful thing she had ever seen. She wandered along the shore, 
picking up all sorts of shells, which she found there. At last she 
picked up a red stone that looked just like a little baby; this she 
wrapped up and put in her bosom. Then she happened to notice 
that the sun was close to the horizon. This frightened her, 
for she thought, "What will my brothers do if they come home 
before I arrive? Probably they will kill me." She started home 
at once and did not think any more about the red stone she had 
picked up. 

Her brothers had not returned and she began to prepare supper 
at once, for they might arrive any minute. While she was boiling 
the moose-meat, she heard a baby crying. At first it sounded 
very weak, as if it were a great way off. It puzzled her, for it 
seemed to come from her breast. Could the red stone she had 
picked up on the beach be alive? What could she do with it? 
She could not kill it; yet if her brothers saw it, probably they 
would kill her. So she took an old pair of moccasins and put it 
in one of them and hid it in the bushes. 

The brothers did not return home until the third day. During 
that interval the young one grew like a weed. At last the brothers 
returned, and while they were eating their supper, the little red 
baby began to cry. They asked what it was, but the girl did 
not answer. The younger brother went to see what the sound was, 
but the older one hung his head. He became very sullen. Soon 
the younger brother returned vnth Mekweisit, the little red one. 
He was not angry at his sister, for Mekweisit pleased him; she 
was so cunning. The older brother, however, was very much 



71 

displeased. He did not eat any supper, nor did he eat anything 
on the following day. 

The younger brother liked Mekweisit immediately. At once 
he made her a cradle board, and then he made her a doll. Mek- 
weisit grew like a weed. Soon the cradle was too small, and in 
a very short time she was running around. During this time the 
sister kept thinking that the older brother would kill the baby. 
The younger brother knew what was worrying her, so he told her 
not to worry. "We'll just let him alone and he will soon learn to 
love her," he said. 

The little red one kept growing very rapidly. She called the 
sister "Mother," and the brothers "Uncle." In about two years 
she was almost full grown. She learned to do all kinds of work, for 
she was very apt. About this time the sister died. It had taken 
the older brother all this time to overcome his dislike for the little 
red one, but after the sister's death he began to like her. The 
younger brother knew what was going to happen, so he told Mek- 
weisit to get plenty of provisions and clothes ready for a long 
journey. 

Soon after this the older brother fell in love with her and 
thought, "Now^, if I could only get rid of my brother, I would have 
her all to myself; while he is alive, she will never marry me." The 
younger brother knew everything that his brother thought, for 
he was a great medeulin (shaman). His brother did not know 
that he was a medeulin, therefore he was not suspicious. 

When the older brother proposed that they go hunting, the 
younger one consented. The older one said, "Brother, let's go 
moose hunting. I'll go one way and you go another. After three 
days we will meet." The older brother planned to kill the younger 
and then come back and tell Mekweisit that he had not seen him. 
So they started off in different directions. 

The younger brother soon came back. "Pack up, and we'll 
start on our journey right away," he said to Mekweisit. She hur- 
ried and soon she had everything ready. Just as they were starting, 
the younger brother said, "I want it to snow very hard." Soon 
it began to snow. 

When the older brother came back after three days, he found 
the camp deserted. He could tell by looking at the place where 



72 

the fire had been that they had been gone for some time. It was 
hopeless to try to find their trail, for it had been snowing for the 
past three days. He had a dog, however, that was a wonderful 
tracker, and he said to this dog, "Don't track game to-day; track 
my brother." Soon the dog found their trail and followed it. 
It was a good many days before he drew near to the flying pair, 
for they had three days' start and they were traveling as fast as 
they could. 

The younger brother could tell that his brother was drawing 
near, for he was a powerful medeulin. At once he began to hunt 
for a hollow tree, and when he had found one, they climbed into 
it. When the older brother and his dog came to this tree, the dog 
stopped and began to bark, which caused him to think that they 
had been following an animal. This made him so angry that he 
killed the dog immediately, and left the tree without even going 
near it. After a while Mekweisit and the younger brother crawled 
out of the tree. Thinking that his brother had left that part of 
the country, he built a wigwam and set traps for the winter. 

The winter passed without much thought of the older brother, 
for they knew that they were safe from him during the winter, but 
when spring came, they began to think about him again. As the 
younger brother was a medeulin, he knew he would have to meet 
his brother soon. He told Mekweisit he would have to meet him, 
and said, "When I meet him, I wall yell three times. At first it 
will be loud. If the second and third times are also loud, you will 
know that all has gone well; but if the second is fainter, and the 
third is fainter still, you will know that I am being killed. If he 
kills me, go to the place where the noise seems to come from, and 
cut off my head and knee-caps. Wrap my head up and be careful 
of it. Wash my face every morning. If my brother finds you, 
cook my knee-caps with deer meat and be sure to put them on 
his plate, covered with deer meat." 

After a few days the younger brother said he would have to go 
and fight with his brother. Soon after this, she heard a loud yell; 
a few minutes later, she heard a second, not so loud as the first. 
She thought to herself, "He is getting beaten, but perhaps the 
third will be louder; he still has a chance to win." So she listened, 
but she could scarcely hear the third at all. She now knew the 
younger brother was killed. Not long afterwards the older 



73 

brother came into camp. She would rather have seen anyone 
else, but she had to look pierusant, so she said, "Hello, Uncle! 
Where have you been? We have been waiting for you for a long 
time." 

As soon as she got a chance, she went to find her other uncle. 
She soon found him and cut off his head and liis knee-caps. The 
head she wrapped up and hid near the camp, but the knee-caps 
she cooked with the venison. That night, when her uncle ate 
supper, she kept urging him to eat more venison. Finally he got 
the knee-caps on his plate. He tried to swallow one, but it choked 
him. She was very much pleased when he died. 

The first thing she did the next morning was to wash the face 
of her younger uncle's head. Then she combed his hair. She 
thought, "I wall be very lonely if I stay here; I had better go and 
find a village." So she got some food together and started. FZvery 
morning she unwrapped her uncle's head and washed his face 
and combed his hair. 

One day she saw a big giant coming. She thought, "Oh, I 
wish 1 were as big as that fellow." As soon as she had said it, she 
began to grow, and soon she was bigger than the tallest tree. She 
had no weapon, so she pulled up a tree and used it for a club. She 
was none too soon, for the other giant was just ready to club her 
with another tree, but she had grown larger than the giant and 
killed him. Then she immediately became small again. 

She continued on her way. Not long after that she saw a very 
large, fat woman coming towards her. When this woman came 
close, she said, "Poor girl, your troubles are not over yet; but if 
I swallow you, you wall be safe." So she swallowed Mekweisit, 
pack basket, snow shoes, and all. Then the fat woman went to 
the spring where the village people got their water. While she 
was sitting there, Chief Fisher's daughters came for water. When 
they saw the fat woman sitting there, they said, "Oh, look at 
Frog; she must have someone in her belly, she is so fat." Just 
then Mekweisit moved and Fisher's daughters added, "And it's 
alive, too." But Frog said, "Let me swallow you and see if you 
will be alive." Fisher's daughters were afraid when she said this, 
and ran home. 



74 

Frog thought it would be safe for the red one to go now, so she 
Yomited her forth and told her to go straight up the path and to 
stop at the first wigwam. Mekweisit did as she was told and found 
that it was Groundhog's wigwam. Groundhog welcomed her very 
cordially, but soon she began to cry, as she knew what Fisher's 
daughters always did to a pretty stranger. Groundhog made such 
a noise that Fisher's daughters came to see what was the trouble. 
When they found the pretty stranger in Groundhog's house, they 
went home to plan how they might kill her. 

Soon they returned and wanted Mekweisit to play altestaganuk 
with them. Groundhog did not want her to go, but Mekweisit 
insisted. So Groundhog gave Mekweisit her altestaganuk and 
told her to play with that set. Mekweisit in turn gave Groundhog 
her bundle, but told her on no account to open it. Mekweisit 
went with them to Fisher's wigwam and there they played altes- 
taganuk. The first game Mekweisit lost. The second she won. 
If she lost the third game, they were going to kill her. While 
they were playing the third game, they heard a great commotion 
outside, and Fisher's daughters stopped playing to see what was 
the matter. Mekweisit was greatly astonished to see her uncle's 
head flying around, biting and killing everyone. She said to 
Groundhog, "Why did you unwrap my bundle? I told you not 
to, and now look at all the trouble you have brought al)out." 

After a while Fisher's daughters came after Mekweisit again. 
They told her there was going to be a dance, and asked her to 
eome and dance; but Mekweisit said, "No, I never dance." In 
a little while they came for her again, but she refused to go. They 
came a third time and a fourth time, but she refused. At la.st 
someone brought word to her that there was a person without any 
head dancing. Immediately Mekweisit thought, "Now, that 
might be my uncle." She picked up her bundle and went to the 
place where they were dancing. Sure enough, there was her 
decapitated uncle dancing around. Quickly she unwrapped his 
head and put it on his body. Then they both went away together. 



75 

MISCELLANEOUS MYTHS AND TALES 

(16). Kiwakwi 

Long ago an Indian and his wife were camping far away on the 
banks of a river. One day the Indian went away hunting. While 
he was away, his wife went down to the river to get some water. 
She began to muse, seeing her face in the water, but soon she saw 
another face mirrored on its surface beside her's. This she at 
once recognized as the Kiwakw or cannil)al giant. '^ She knew 
if she betrayed the least fear she would be killed. She had great 
presence of mind and turned around and said, just as if she had 
not seen him in the water, "How are you, father? Where have 
you been so long?" Then she led him to the wigwam and bade 
him sit down and began to cook him a dinner. After he had eaten, 
he insisted upon doing all the work. 

She knew that her husband would be home before nightfall, 
and she also knew that he would be eaten unless she could fore- 
warn him. So towards evening she set out in the direction she 
thought he would come. After a while she heard him coming. 
When he got near her, she told him that the Kiwakw had come 
early in the day and had remained all day. She said, "When 
you get to camp, say to him, 'Good evening, father,' then he will 
not hurt you." The husband did as he was told, and the Kiwakw 
did no harm to him. 

The Kiwakw stayed for many days. He was quiet and gentle 
and did not say much, but wanted to do all the work. Whenever 
either of the Indians would go to chop some wood, the Kiwakw 
would take the axe and in a very few minutes he would fell several 
trees. After a while he became even more pensive.^ When they 
asked him what was the matter, he answered, "In a few days I 

1 The following story was obtained in April. 1910, from Barney Sapier, of Central KinRsclear, 
who was then stopping at Oldtown, Me. It is substantially the same as the Pa.ssamaciuoddy version 
given by Leland in his "Algonauin Legends of New England" ("The Story of the Great Chenoo as 
told by the Passamaauoddies"). p. 246. However, :ny version has several details which are not 
found in his. Rand gives it in his "Legends ot the Micmacs." XXV. "Adventures with a Chenoo 
or Northman." Leland repeats the same story, calling it "The Chenoo, or the Story of a Cannibal 
with an Icy Heart." and heads it Micmac and Pa.ssamaauoddy. This is evidently a mistake, for he 
afterwards refers to it as the Micmac version, when comparing it with his real Passamaauoddy 
version. He changes one of the Chenoos to a female Chenoo, though R:ind states they were both 
male. This also was probably a mistake, due to confusion with his Pa3,sjimauuoddy version in 
which one is a female. In my version they are probably both males, though it is not specifically 
stated what their sex was. 

« In Leland's Passamaauoddy version he appears at the door of the wigwam. 

» Up to this point my version is the same as Rand's, but now several incidenta are omitted 
which Rand givee. 



76 

will have to go and fight another kiwakw. He^ is very large and 
terrible and it is doubtful who will win the fight. Perhaps you can 
help me. I will give you a little ball which you can put in your 
gun. 2 Shoot him right between the eyes. He will give a terrible 
yell, and you must put something in your ears, so that the noise 
of his screams will not kill you." Then he gave the Indian a ball 
which looked like a bullet, but was soft. 

After a few days the giant said, "To-day I will have to fight. 
Stuff something in your ears and load your gun. After that come 
with me and I will hide you close to the place where we are going 
to fight." 

The Indian loaded his gun and filled his ears, and went with 
the giant to the place where the fight was going to take place. 
After the giant had hid, the Indian went away. Not much later 
the Indian heard a great noise and soon he saw the two giants 
approaching. The giant that had been living in their wigwam 
for some weeks had now grown taller than the highest tree. The 
other giant was still larger."^ Soon they began to tear down trees 
and use them as clubs and to hurl big boulders at each other. 
Then the strange giant gave a terrible yell. In spite of the stuffing 
in his ear the Indian lost consciousness. When he regained con- 
sciousness, the strange giant had the friendly one down and was 
just going to kill him. Then the Indian thought of the gun and 
aimed right between the eyes of the strange giant. When the 
smoke of battle cleared away, the strange giant was lying on the 
ground and the friendly one had gotten on his feet. The latter 
looked exhausted and grew smaller every minute; finally the 
Indian had to assist him back to the wigwam. When he got there, 
he lay down and gave them directions to make him a large kettle 
of medicine.'* When it was finished, they gave him some to drink 

Leland's Passamaauoddy version makes it a female. Mine may also be female, for it is 
acommon thing for these Indians to call a woman "he" and "him". There isnogender in Algonquin, 
but instead the distinction between animate and inanimate. Many times I have had to question 
my informants as to whether they were talking about a man or woman, and often they have replied 
that they did not know; the story did not state which it was. 

- In Rand it is the magical horn of the dragon, which used to slay the giant. This is thrust 
_n the other giant's ear. It is evident that the use of the gun and bullet in my version is a modem 
incident substituted for the older one. 

5 Rand does not state that the other giant was larger in his version, though it is quite likely he 
was. for he got the better of the friendly Chenoo. The incidents of the battle are the same in the 
Micmac version. 

* In Rand's version the Chenoo takes a drink of boiling water a long time beiore the fight. How- 
ever, he does not vomit ice, but all sorts of filth — remnants of his previous cajinibalistic meab. The 
incident of the ice being melted occurs in Rand's Micmac version in connexion with the killing of 
the giant. In that story they have to cut up the conquered Chenoo and bum him to prevent him 
from coming to life. When they come to his heart, they find it to be made of ice, so they break 
t up and melt it in the fire. The ending of the two stories is quite diff^ent. 



77 

and not long after he bep;an to vomit. He vomited a big piece of 
ice. The Indian kicked it into the fire in spite of the protesta- 
tions of the giant. Again he vomited ice and again the Indian 
kicked it into tiie fire. The giant tried to stop him, l)ut was 
unable. When he vomited the third time, he stopped the Indian 
from kicking the ice into the fire. If the Indian had kicked it 
into the fire, he would have died. After a while the giant got 
better. 

(17). Partridge.' 

Partridge was going north alone. During the day everything 
was quiet, but every evening, when he was making camp, he heard 
a noise in the north Uke talking, but it was far off, much too far 
for ordinary conversation to travel. Every morning when he awoke 
he heard the same noise. For five evenings and five mornings the 
same thing took place. On the sixth Partridge overtook Raven, 
Wolf, and Pismire, who were quarreling over the division of a 
moose. ^ 

When Partridge saw the cause of the trouble, he offered to make 
the division for them. This was satisfactory to all, so he gave 
Pismire the head, and said, "You will have plenty of food, and 
after you have eaten it you will have a house with lots of rooms 
in it."^ He gave Wolf the bones, saying, "Take these, you have 
good teeth; you can crack them and take all the marrow out."* 
To Raven he gave the meat. 

After Partridge had made this dinsion, he went away. When 
he had travelled a couple of days, he heard a great noise like the 
sound of footsteps. This continued for four days and at the end 
of that time he came to a tree with a Raccoon in its top. Mikum- 
wesu^ was dancing around it. He had worn quite a deep path in 
its roots. Partridge asked him what he was doing, and Mikumwesu 

I The following story is in its main outlines the same as the Passamaquoddy version given by 
Leland on p. 290 of his "Algonauin Legends of New England." It was related to me by Jack Solomon 
of the Central Kingsclear Reservation in July. 1910. It is probably Indian in origin, but shows 
plainly European influence. 

* This episode is omitted in Leiand's version. I believe it is undoubtedly of French origin. 
It exists also in Spanish Folk-lore: c/. Aurilio M. Espinosii. J.A.F.-L.. p. 398. vol. XXIV, where 
the animals are Lion. Tiger, Eagle, and Ant. See abo p. 61 of the present volume. 

» Ant hills are supposed to resemble the skull of a moose, at least in arrangement, the egga, of 
course, corresponding to the brains. 

* This is supposed to be the origin of the wolf's habit of chewing bones. 

' Mikumwesu is the Mabcite form of the Micmac migimuwesu. He plays a prominent part in 
the mythology of tliat region. In the Gluakap story told by Jim Paul (see pp. 1-40) he is Gluskap' 
brother. 



78 

said "I'm trying to dance this tree down, for I'm hungry and 
want to eat Raccoon." Partridge offered to fell the tree in 
short order if Mikumwesu would give him the Raccoon's skin for 
doing it. The agreement being made, Partridge felled the tree and 
Mikumwesu killed and skinned Raccoon. He made Partridge a 
nice wigwam out of the skin; turning the fur inside, he told 
Partridge to enter. Partridge did as he was told and went to 
sleep. In the morning, when he awoke, he was very warm. 
When he came out of his wigwam, he found that Mikumwesu 
had left, for he was a great traveller.^ 

Partridge folded the skin up and travelled on. After a few days 
travelling he met Kiwakw,^ who had just come from the north. 
Partridge asked him what kind of a country it was up north. 
Kiwakw said that it was a fine country. Partridge said to him, 
"Let's chum together and go to see this fine country." Kiwakw 
said, "Very well. We will go back together." So off they started. 
Kiwakw had a very large wigwam on his back. He saw Partridge 
had something too, so he asked him what he was carrying, and 
Partridge said, "That's my wigwam." Kiwakw said, "I guess 
that's no good; it's too small," but Partridge said, "It's good 
enough for me." 

When it became dark, Kiwakw put up his wigwam. It was a 
large one with three rooms in it. Partridge then put up his 
little raccoon-skin wigwam. It was small but cozy, and he had 
plenty of provisions in it. When Kiwakw saw how cozy it was, 
he immediately took a fancy to it and wanted to trade houses 
with Partridge. But Partridge was perfectly satisfied with his 
own; besides, he was afraid he could not carry Kiwakw's big 
wigwam on his back. 

Kiwakw saw that he would have to use strategy, so he invited 
Partridge into his wigwam. There were three rooms in this wig- 
wam and in the second many bottles^ were stored. Kiwakw took 

1 In fact, according to Malecite tradition, since the death of Gluskap. Mikumwesu does 
nothing except travel from one Indian village to another counting and keeping track of the Indians. 

2 Kiwakw is a cannibal giant, who lives in the North and eata nothing but human flesh. Leland 
n his version does not call this character Kiwakw. This is evidently a mistake on the part of my 

informant, for the actions of the character are quite incomprehensible if he is Kiwakw. For the 
true Kiwakw see Leland, "Algonquin Legends of New England," op. 533-55; Rand, "Legends of the 
Micmacs," p. 190; and this volume pp. 75-77. 

'These bottles, of course, contained intoxicants. Partridge had never seen liquor of any sort 
and. therefore, mistook it for medicine. This incident is not given by Iceland. It is probably in- 
troduced to explain why the intestineeof partridges do not agree with dogs, or, as the Indians say 
"make them drunk." 



79 

down a few bottles and mixed Partridge some medicine. He told 
Partridge to drink it, for it would do him good. Partridge drank 
it and liked it so well that he asked Kiwakw to give hirn some more. 
Kiwakw mixed some and Piiriridgc promptly drank that. In a 
little while Kiwakw gave him some more. When Partridge had 
finished his third portion, he asked Kiwakw if he would give the 
bottles with the wigwam if they traded houses. Kiwakw said he 
would, and gave him another drink. By this time Partridge was 
fairly drunk and soon went fast asleep. When he awoke it was 
morning and he found himself in a snow drift instead of in the 
wigwam. He flew up into a tree and began to eat the birch buds. 
So partridges do even to this day, and even to this day, if a dog 
eats partridge guts, he gets drunk. 

(18). Rabbit's Tricks. ' 

Sable was the mother of several children, which were very trouble- 
some to take care of. So one day, when Rabbit came to see her, 
she asked him if he would not like to stop with her and take care 
of the children, promising him plenty of food and that his duties 
would be light. Rabbit consented, but, after he had been there 
for some time, became very tired of his duties and decided that the 
easiest way to get rid of them would be to kill the children. At 
first he did not know how, but finally thought of a scheme, which 
would not endanger him. He said to Sable, "Once I lived in a 
village where children grew very fast."^ Sable inquired why they 
grew fast at that particular village. "Well," said Rabbit, "they 
put the children to soak in the creek over night and the next morn- 
ing, when they take them out, they are full grown. That is their 
way of making the children grow quickly." "If I should do that 
to my children, would they too grow quickly?" inquired Sable. 
Rabbit replied, "Why, certainly, I did that to my children and they 
grew up in one night." So Sable and Rabbit tied the feet of the 
young Sables together and soaked them in the water. Saljle 
said that she would not be back the next day, and requested 
Rabbit to take the children out of the water at the right time. 
But Rabbit left soon after Sable. He doubled on his tracks and 

> Told by Jim Paul, St. Mary, August, 1912. 
ComDare with the 13tb story in this collectioD. 



80 

did everything possible to prevent Sable from following him, and 
then he went away as fast as he was able. When Sable returned 
to the camp, she could not see either Rabbit or her children. 
So she went down to the brook and there she found her children 
drowned. Then she said, "Rabbit has killed all my children and 
fled. But I will catch him yet," and she started to follow him. 

Rabbit came across Loup Cervier on his journey, and the latter 
said to him, "You'd better stay with me and nurse this baby of 
mine." So Rabbit consented. 

One day Loup Cervier went to tap maple trees for the purpose 
of making sugar, and left Rabbit in charge of the baby, who was 
crying continually. Rabbit wondered what could be the matter 
with the baby. Looking at the child and seeing the brain palpi- 
tating at the anterior fontanelle (bregma), he said, "No wonder, 
here is an abcess." So he took a porcupine quill and pierced the 
fontanelle, and the brain ran out. So the baby stopped crying and 
died. Rabbit put it back into the cradle and said, "It is sleeping 
well now." Since the baby was quiet, Rabbit thought that he 
would go over and help Loup Cervier collect sap. Loup Cervier 
said, "How is the baby?" "Oh, it is sleeping all right now, but 
it is no wonder it could not sleep well before, for it had an abscess 
on the top of its head; when I opened it, lots of matter ran out 
and it stopped crying at once." Loup Cervier said, "I believe 
you have killed my child." Later Loup Cervier returned to the 
camp, and Rabbit, seeing there was something wrong, became 
frightened and left as soon as he could. 

When Loup Cervier returned to her camp, she found that Rabbit 
had killed her child, and immediately decided to start in pursuit. 
Just as she was about to start. Sable came along and asked if 
Loup Cervier had seen Rabbit near there. "Yes," rephed Loup 
Cervier, "he has killed my children." Sable answered that he 
had killed hers too. 

So Sable and Loup Cervier started in pursuit. Rabbit knew 
that they were coming, but said, "I'll fool them," and turned 
himself into a grey-headed old man. When Sable and Loup 
Cervier, following the tracks of this old man, finally arrived at 
his camp, they asked him if he had seen Rabbit go past. "Yes," 
said the old man. So they asked him where he went. He replied, 



81 

"You had better stop with me to-night and you will catch him 
before noon to-morrow. He is very much tired out." So they 
remained with him and he gave them disguised rabi/it's excrement 
to eat and urine to drink. ^ Loup C«Tvier asked why the bread 
he gave them was so round and black. "Why," he said, "that is 
made out of Indian meal and is baked in the ashes." Why is the 
stuff you gave us to drink so red?" He said that it was made 
of berries. As soon as Sable and Loup Cervier were asleep, he 
left. When they awoke the next morning they found themselves 
in a bank of snow and could not get out easily, but could see Rab- 
bit's tracks leaving there. So they said, "That was Rabbit who 
fooled us." 

Now Rabbit, on his journey, came to a sea-shore. A little island 
was right opposite. Birds were flying about on the island. When 
they saw Rabbit, they came over and pursued him to the island. 
When Sable and Loup Cervier came to the sea-shore, they caught 
sight of Rabbit jumping round and saw the birds flying round 
and alighting on the trees. So they said, "There he is on that 
ship." Rabbit had made the island look like a ship. So Loup 
Cervier said, "I will swim out." Then Rabbit turned round and 
Loup Cervier, seeing his excrement, thought it was caimon balls. 
Loup Cervier said, "You are lucky you are on a boat or else we 
would have your life." 

(19). Laks Goes Salmon-Spearing.2 

Laks came to a river which was quite wide, and, seeing on the 
other side some women fishing, he immediately took a fancy to 
them and wanted to possess one of them, so he asked his brother^ 
how it could be done. His brother told him to cut off his penis 
and fasten it on a long sapling. Laks thought the suggestion a good 
one and at once acted on it. He tried to thrust the stick across the 
river and come up under the women with it, but when the end 

' Of course disguised as a drink and bread. 

»The following story was told me by Jim Paul, of St. Mary Reservation, in July. 1910. Leland. 
in his "Algonauin Legends of New England," d. 179, gives a similar tale about Laks. Lake is a 
large animal of the feline tribe, probably Wolverine. The Indians translate? it as Loup Cervier 
or as Indian Devil. All the animals of this family have a peculiarity of urinating with their pems 
turned back between their legs. This is evidently an origin myth to explain this peculiarity. 

A Malecite always calls his anus "brother." They say, when a person breaks wind, tha 
his brother is talking. Invariably they call out what it sounds like. They believe it has a prophetic 
purport. In this myth, whenever Laks' brother speaks, it merely means that Laks is breakin* 
wind and interpreting it. 



82 

of the stick was in the middle of the river, a large fish swallowed 
his penis and ran away with it. 

Laks was indeed in a sad plight, so he asked his brother what 
they could do. His brother said, "We will go spearing fish." 
So he got a canoe, and when nightfall came, he went fish-spearing. 
Laks' brother told him to spear the fish with the large belly, for 
that was the one who had carried his penis away. However, he 
cautioned him against spearing it in the belly. After a while a 
large fish swam towards them. Laks saw that it had a large belly, 
so he was very careful to spear it in the tail. When they cut it 
open, they found the missing penis. Laks' brother told him to 
put it on quickly while there was still life in it. Laks was in such 
a hurry that he put it on upside down. Since that time he had to 
let all women alone. 

(20). How Wolverine was Frozen to Death/ 

One day Wolverine" visited his older brother Bear, who was very 
glad to see him, and at once put the pot on the fire to cook him 
something.^ After the food was cooked and they had eaten it, 
Bear said to his younger brother, Wolverine, "How would you 
make a fire if you did not have any flint and steel?" Wolverine 
acknowledged that he would be helpless without flint and steel. 
"Now I will teach you," said Bear, "how to make a fire, when 
you do not have any flint and steel." Having said this, Bear 
went out and got some maple bark, which he put in a little pile, 
and then jumped over it. As soon as he jumped over it, it burst 
into a flame. Then he said to his younger brother, "Now I 
give you power to make a fire." 

Wolverine was very happy and was in a hurry to get away and 
try his power. As soon as he got out of the house, he started to 
run. He continued running until he got to a place where he 
could no longer see Bear. Then he collected some maple bark 
and made a httle pile of it and jumped over it. When it broke 
into a blaze, he was very much pleased. He took out his flint 

' The following story was secured in Micmac text from Michel Domenick. of Burnt Church, m 
November, 1912. 

2 The Micmac word is variously translated as panther, lucifee, lox, Indian devil, etc. It is 
evidently the same as Leland'a Lox and Lucifee. I am inclined to think from the descriptions they 
give it, that it is Wolverine. 

' It is customary for a Micmac to preparef ood for hie guest as soon ae he arrives. 



83 

and steel and threw them away, saying, "These are no longer 
of any use." 

Wolverine had no use for the fire he mudo; ho only made it to 
try his power. So he went on, but he had hardly gotten out of 
sight of his first fire, when he decided to make u new fire. Aft-cr 
that he made fires more frequently until at last he made them 
every ten steps; but finally his power gave out, for he hud used it 
all up.i When he next collected a pile of n)aple bark and jumped 
over it, it did not burst into a flame. By that time it had grown 
dark and was very cold, and he was indeed in need of a fire. 
Then truly he jumped, but no success crowned his efforts. He 
had thrown away his flint and steel and was very much frightened, 
for it was very cold. He kept on jumping, but it grew so cold 
that he froze to death while he was jumping. He lay there until 
it was spring, when he thawed out. He was lying there dead, 
when his younger brother. Raccoon, came along and saw him. 

Raccoon went over and tried to wake him up, saying, "Older 
brother, get up, you are over-sleeping; it is very late," Then the 
Wolverine rubbed his eyes, got up and said, "Younger brother, 
I overslept. I would have lain there forever, if you had not come 
by and awakened me." He would have rotted there, but, as it 
was, he got his strength back and was as strong as ever, 

(21). How a Man Avenged Himself on His Wife's Paramour. 2 

Once long ago a woman had a lover. Her husband finally 
grew suspicious, so she had great difficulty in meeting her lover. 
The latter grew very impatient, so they agreed to cut a hole in 
the wall of the wigwam right beside the place where she slept. 
After her husband went to sleep at night, they had intercourse 
through this hole, but during the day the woman covered up the 
hole with a piece of bark. One night the husband awoke while 
his wife was having intercourse, but was not certain about what 
was taking place. His wife did not know that he awoke. He 
said nothing, but when morning came^and his wife went to get 

1 Indians who have power always fear using it, il they have no urgent need of it. They are 
afraid tfiat if they abuse it, they will lose it. 

2 The following story is very interesting on accounttOf its close resemblance to the Fox tale 
eiven by Jones on page 145 of his "Fox Texts," It was related by Jim Paul of St. Mary Reeerva- 
tion in July. 1910. 



84 

water, he investigated the place where she slept and found the 
loose piece of bark. He removed it and discovered quite a large 
hole. Then he understood all. That night when they went 
to bed, he said to his wife, "I will sleep next to the wall tonight." 
His wife objected, but the more she objected the more he insisted, 
so he slept next to the wall. He did not go to sleep that night, 
for he knew his wife would steal out and warn her lover, if she 
found an opportunity. 

About midnight he heard a scratching at the wall of the lodge. 
He quickly drew his knife and waited. Immediately the piece 
of bark was withdrawn to admit the man's penis. The husband 
seized it with one hand while with the other he cut it off. The 
man screamed in agony. Then the husband gave the penis to his 
wife and said, "Here's what you loved. Take it and go. I no 
longer want you." The other man died from loss of blood. ^ 

(22). Alaista.2 

Alaista was an orphan, who lived alone with his grandmother 
in a strange wigwam, for it had no door and the only view of the 
outside world was of the tree tops, which could be seen through 
the smoke hole. His grandmother left him alone every day, for 
she went out through the smoke hole in the morning and did not 
return until night. When he was young he did not mind it, for 
he had never known anything else, but as he grew older, he began 
to wonder about the outside world and where his grandmother 
went each day. One day he said to her, "Grandmother, where 
do you go every day after you leave me?" She did not want to 
satisfy his curiosity, so she replied, "Oh, you don't want to know." 

He was far from being satisfied by this answer, and the next day 
after she left he began to speculate more and more about the out- 
side world. Finally he decided to go out too and see for himself 
what lay beyond the walls of his house. That night, after his 
grandmother came home, he said to her, "Grandmother, I am 



1 In the Pox story the penis is suspended from her girdle and her brother then understands what 
she has done, so he clubs his sister to death. After that the husband marries his first wife's sister 
and lives contentedly together until old age claims both. 

2 The following story was related to me in August. 1910. by Mrs. Laport of Tobique Point 
The name does not seem to be Malecite; she was unable to explain it, and said she never heard of it 
in any other connexion than that of the name of the hero of the story. It is probably a corruption 
of a European name. 



85 

going out with you to see too what is outside." vShe, however, 
refused to take him, but, fearing that he might possibly go alone, 
she told him when he grew up and did go out, that he must never 
walk on the ground, but instead must walk on tlie tree tops. She 
also told him that he must never wade through water, but instead 
must throw stones in the streams to make steps, so tiiat ho rould 
walk over dry shod. The next morning, soon after his grandmother 
left, he too went out by the smoke hole and began to walk away 
on the tree tops. This he had no trouble in doing, for he was a 
great shaman, although he did not know it. 

He had not gone far when he came to a stream, where he had 
to descend from the tree tops. There he no longer heeded the 
commands of his grandmother, and, instead of making stone 
steps, waded right through the stream. When he stepped out 
on the opposite bank, he was surprised to soo that he had no flesh 
on his calves. Then he was very sorry that he had not heeded 
his grandmother's warnings and sat down on the bank to think 
what he would do. Finally he decided to wade back through the 
stream and see what happened. When he stepped out on the 
opposite bank, his legs were as perfect as ever. Then he knew at 
once that Abldamkin was the one who had done it. This made 
him so angry that he decided at once to kill Abldamkin, so he 
went to the pool below to hunt for him. There he found Abldam- 
kin without much trouble and killed him. 

Alaista knew that he had a grandfather, so he decided to go and 
find him. He continued in the same direction and soon arrived 
at his grandfather's house. He entered without knocking and 
found his grandfather filling snowshoes. Alaista said to the old 
man, "Grandfather, I have come." But the old man did not 
seem to hear him, for he did not look up. Again he repeated it, 
but with no better result, and the third time he still did not dis- 
turb the old man. So Alaista went up close to him and slapped 
him on the back. Then his grandfather looked up and said, 
"Oh, are you here, Alaista?" for he recognized him at once. His 
grandfather was very glad to see him and took down his pipe, 
which they both took turns in smoking. 

In the afternoon Alaista's grandfather said that it was time 
for Alaista to go home. He told him of a path leading to the 
right, which was very dangerous and cautioned him to avoid it. 



86 

So Alaista started off and soon came to the path which led to 
the right, but instead of heeding his grandfather's warning, he 
immediately took that path. He had not gone far on that path 
when he came to a house, which he immediately entered. Three 
girls were working inside, but as they did not see him, he sat 
down. After a while one of them turned around and saw him. 
She did not speak to him, but instead turned to the others and 
told them. They then put a big kettle on the fire and when the 
water was boiling, threw Alaista into it. Then they called all 
the conjurers and made a great feast. His grandfather too was 
a great shaman, and, therefore, was invited, but he did not arrive 
until the feast was almost over. At once he knew that his grand- 
son had disobeyed him and was being eaten. He was still in 
time to save him, for Alaista was not entirely eaten, so he at once 
set to work to conjure and after much work succeeded in restor- 
ing him. Had he been entirely eaten, he could not have saved 
him. 

(23). The Talking Vagina. 1 

Once there was a man who was a great medeulin (shaman). 
He could do almost anything, but the greatest thing he could do 
was to make anything talk. He would say to a dog, "Whose dog 
are you?" or to a canoe, "Whose canoe are you?" and imme- 
diately it would answer, "I am John's," or "I am Peter's." This 
ability often helped him when he was in trouble. He could tell 
whether or not a man was lying, or whenever he thought he was 
losing his way, he had only to ask a tree, "Are you on the trail?" 
and it would answer "Yes" or "No." 

This famous shaman was single, but one day he thought, "I 
had better be married." So he went to look for a girl that suited 
him. Finally he found one and decided to marry her if she should 
prove to be a virgin. He asked her to marry him and she agreed. 
He then asked her if she was a virgin and she, of course, said that 
she was. He then said to her vagina, "Is what she says true?" 
The vagina said, "No, it is not true." So the medicine man refused 
to marry her. 



' The following story, which was told me by Barney Sapiw, of Central Kingsclear. in Aoril, 
1910. shows a strong European influence, though some of the conceptions seem to be native. 



87 

He tried a second time, but his success was no bettor than 
the first time. His success on the third occasion was no better 
than on the other two. 

When he tried the fourtli <j;irl, slie said she was a virji;ln. Then 
he said to her vagina, "Is it true that you are a virgin"." But the 
vagina did not answer. The shaman thought that his power was 
gone, but it was not so. The other girls had tohl her what had 
happened to them, and she had saved herself ijy filling her vagina 
with moss. 

(24). The Origin of Corn I 

In olden times things were quite different from the way they 
are now. In very olden times, long before the coming of the white 
people, the Indians did not have any corn nor any other crop, but 
they lived entirely by hunting and fishing. Men lived to be a 
hundred years old, but women lived to be only fifty. 

In those days there lived an old chief who had many daughters. 
They were very good-looking girls with sparkling eyes and glossy 
black hair. One, however, was difTerent from the others — indeed, 
she was quite different from all Indians. She was beautiful, too; 
but her hair was golden — like the inside of the summer bark of 
birch. 

A young warrior, who was a stranger to that village, came one 
day. In those days, whenever a stranger came, contests were 
held. In these contests this stranger was always victor. He was 
brave when he was with the men; but when he was near the 
women, he was backward and silent. Indeed, he paid no attention 
to them. But one day he saw the chief's daughter, Sagamaskwesis 
— the one with the golden hair. He at once took a fancy to her. 
The two young people agreed to marry. The warrior told the old 
chief that he wanted to marry his daughter, and arrangements 
were made for a big feast and dance. 

After they were married, they did not live at the village, but 
went away and trapped by themselves. They were fond of each 
other, and, when the woman was nearly fifty and was about to 



> Obtained from Joe Nicholas, Tobique Point, .\ugu8t. 1910. For the Paasamaauoddy legend 
dascribing the origin of corn, aee Journal of American Folk-Lore. Vol. HI. p. 214. The beginninx 
is somewhat different: it is not his wife .and no meoti«D is made of women dying when fifty 
years old and mm oae hundred. 



die, her husband told her how sorry he was that they must part. 
She said, "We need not part; you can have me wnth you forever, 
if you want to. Just do as I tell you." He was overjoyed and 
readily agreed. Now their wigwam was standing in about half 
an acre of second-growth timber. She told him to cut down the 
trees and burn them. "Then tie my hands together with cedar 
bark and drag me seven times around this clearing; but no matter 
what happens, don't look back." After he had felled all the trees 
and burned them, the clearing was dotted with charred stumps 
of the burnt timber. So after he had dragged her around seven 
times, there was nothing left of her but her skeleton — all the rest 
had been torn ofT by the stumps. When he saw this, he felt very 
unhappy and wondered why she had told him to do it. He left 
his wigwam and that part of the country at once, for he felt very 
downcast. It was in the spring when he left ; but when the autumn 
came, he had a longing to see the old place, and he returned. The 
place was no longer black with charred stumps; it was beautiful 
with the yellow waving corn. The yellow tassels reminded him 
of his wife's golden hair. Then he thought of her words, "U 
you want to have me with you always, do as I tell you." 



(25). The Man Who Followed His Wife Into Spirit Land,i 

Once there lived an Indian who loved his wife exceedingly well. 
Indeed, so much did he love her, that he determined to follow her 
spirit when she died. 

The Indian's wife fell ill, and when she showed no signs of 
recovery, he made preparations to follow her spirit. First, he cut 
a hole in the bark of the wigwam at the side of her bed, for he 
thought to himself, "She surely will go out this way." He then 
went outside the wigwam and seated himself beside the hole 
to watch for the flight of the spirit. Presently, he saw something 
go out through the hole which had the appearance of a puff of 
smoke. He knew at once that it was his wife's spirit. He, there- 
fore, collected the things necessary for the journey and followed 
in the direction taken by the departing spirit. All this happened 
in the morning. He travelled until nightfall, when he came to a 

Obtained from Louis Paul, St. Mary, in July, 1911 



89 

camp, inside of which he found an old woman. Ho asked her if 
she had seen his wife pass, to which she replied that liis wife had 
passed about noon, goinji; like the wind. He then ciuestioned the 
old woman about his chances of overtaking his wife. This she did 
not know, but advised him that if he continued on his journey he 
would come to the house of an older woman, who could better 
answer this question. 

The Indian, without resting, continued travelling all that 
night and the next day. When dusk fell, he arrived at the camp 
for which he was searching. Here he found a woman who looked 
older than any he had ever seen before. As a mark of respect he 
addressed her as grandmother and asked her if she had seen his 
wife pass. She replied that his wife had passed the previous 
evening, going like the wind. Her, too, he asked if he could over- 
take his wife, and similarly she replied that this she was unable 
to state, but referred him to an older woman who dwelt farther 
along. 

He arrived the next evening at the camp of this woman, and she 
appeared still more aged than the last. Indeed, he thought she 
must be the oldest woman in the world. Upon putting to her the 
question he had put to the others, he learned that his wife had 
passed the morning of the day before. He asked her if he could 
overtake her. She remained a long time silent, closely scrutinizing 
him. At length she rephed, saying, "It v^all be very hard, but if 
you do exactly as I tell you, perhaps you will succeed in doing so. 
I will give you a little nut to take with you. To-morrow morning 
you are to set out in the direction I will indicate to you. Do not 
stop on your journey imtil you come to a wigwam. On your way 
you will hear all sorts of noises behind you, but on no account 
are you to turn around. You will even hear your wife's voice, but 
you will lose all if you turn around. When you reach the wigwam, 
go in and sit down in an out-of-the-way place. After a while the 
spirits will arrive and begin dancing around the wigwam. Your 
wife will be among them. When she dances past you, open the 
nut, and you will thus bring her back to Ufe. And as she goes past 
you, close it. Pass out of the wigwam, and proceed to return in 
the same direction whence vou came." 



90 

The Indian followed the instructions of the old woman. 
But it took him much longer to return than it did to come. Several 
nights had passed before he reached the first grandmother, who 
asked him how he had made out, to which he replied that he was 
fairly successful. He then passed the nut to his grandmother. She 
scrutiniz,ed it favourably. She told him that the nut was full of 
oil, and bade him, when he reached home, dig up his wife and to 
grease all her joints with the oil, which would just suffice for the 
puqiose. She also gave him a wooden comb to comb her hair. 
The Indian expressed his thanks and the next morning departed. 
It was several days before he reached the home of the second 
old woman. She, too, questioned him, after which he again 
proceeded on his way. 

It was a long time before he reached his home. Upon his arrival 
he perceived that all the people had grown greatly aged. For he 
had, to be sure, been a long time absent. With his own hands 
the Indian made a wooden shovel, and, having dug his wife up, 
he began to oil her bones. There was no flesh on her, for she had 
been buried for a great while. When he had exhausted his oil 
supply, the woman looked as natural as she had before her death. 
Her first words were a request for a drink. 

The Indian then rushed to his mother-in-law's to get clothes for 
her. The old woman began to weep, but he bade her rejoice, for 
she would soon see her daughter again. From an old moosehide 
bag she took out some clothes, and with these the Indian returned 
to the place where he had left his wife. After she had dressed, 
the two proceeded to the camp where her parents were. TTpon 
their appearance the old pair became young again, appearing just 
as they had before the death of the woman. ^ 



• When I first heard this story, I was inclined to think that it was European in origin, but I have 
since found in Le Clerca's "New Relation of Gaspesia" a similar myth, which he obtained from the 
Micmaca before they had had any intimate contact with Europeans. The tale given by I>e Clercq 
has incidents which differ from that just given, but the two stories have in common the journey 
to the spirit land and the return with a soul contained in a nut. I reprint here the myth from p. 
209 tf. of Prof. Ganong's admirable translation. 



91 

(26). Reprint of a Tale from Le Clercq's "New Relation of 

Gaspesia" ' 

Our Gaspesians, in common witli all the othor Indians of Now 
France, have believed up to the present that there is in every 
thing, even in such as ar(> inanimate, a particular spirit which 
follows deceased persons into the other world, in order to render 
them as much service after death as these had received therefrom 
during life. Consequently, they say that our voyagers were equally 
surprised and comforted to see on their arrival an infinity of spirits 
of moose, beavers, dogs, canoes, and snowshoes, which hcnered 
pleasingly before their eyes, and which, by I know not what 
unkno%vn language, made them understand that these things 
were all in the service of their fathers. But a moment later they 
thought they should die of fear and terror when, approaching a 
wigwam like those which they had in their own countr>', they 
saw a man, or rather a giant, armed with a mighty club, and with 
bow, arrows, and quiver, who, with his eyes gleaming vnth anger, 
and a tone of voice which indicated the comjileteness of his 
wrath, spoke to them in these words; "Whoever you are, prepare 
yourselves to die, since you have had the temerity to make this 
journey, and to come all alive into the Land of the Dead. For 
I am Papkootparout, the guardian, the master, the governor, and 
the ruler of all souls." In fact, distracted to fury as he was at the 
outrage our Indians had committed, he was about to slay them 
with great blows of that horrible club which he had in his hand, 
when this poor father, keenly penetrated by grief for the death 
of his only son, implored him, more by tears and sighs than by 
words, to excuse the temerity of this enterprise, which in truth 
deserved all punishment from a just anger, if he was not willing 
to soften the rigour of it out of consideration for a father who con- 
sidered himself blameable only because he had too much tender- 
ness and affection for his child. "Discharge against us if thou 
wilt, all the arrows of thy quiver; crush me by the weight of thy 
club," continued this afflicted father, presenting to him his stomach 
and his head to receive the blows of the one and of the other 
"since thou art the absolute master of my life and death; but 



» Le Clerca. Father Chrestien. A New Relation of Gaspesia. with the Customs and RcliBion 
of the Gaspesian Indians (Publicationa of the Champlain Society. V.). Translated and Edited, 
with a Reprint of the Original, by William F. Ganong. Ph.D. (Toronto. 1910). 



92 

indeed, if there still remain in thee any sentiments of humanity, 
of tenderness, and of compassion for mortals, I beg thee to accept 
the presents which we have brought from the Land of the Living, 
and to receive us among the number of thy friends." These 
words, so submissive and so respectful, touched the heart of this 
little Pluto with compassion, and he, becoming alive to the grief 
of this afflicted father, told him to be of good courage; that he 
would pardon him this time for the outrage he had committed; 
and that finally, to overwhelm him with favours and with consola- 
tion, he would give him before his departure the soul of his son; 
but that in awaiting this extraordinary favour, he wished to amuse 
himself with him, and play a hand of Ledelstaganne, which is the 
usual game of our Gaspesians. 

This friendly discourse dissipated entirely all the uneasiness and 
apprehension of our voyagers, who staked at the play e\'erything 
of importance which they had brought from Gaspesia. Papkoot- 
parout staked, for his part, Indian corn, tobacco, and some 
fruits, which he assured them were the food of these souls. They 
played with close application from morning until evening. Our 
voyagers, however, remained the victors. They won the Indian 
com and the tobacco of Papkootparout, who gave both to them 
with so much more pleasure, since he believed these men deserved 
to live who had had the good fortune to win all the most precious 
and rarest things which the dead possessed in the Land of Souls. 
He commanded them to plant these in Gaspesia, assuring them 
that all the nation would receive therefrom an inconceivable 
advantage. This, say our Indians of to-day, is the manner in which 
the Indian corn and the tobacco have come into their country, 
according to the tradition of their ancestors. 

Whilst the father was rejoicing in his good fortune, it happened 
that the son arrived invisibly in the wigwam. The chant of a 
number of spirits and the rejoicing that was made among these 
souls was, in fact, heard very distinctly. But this was not that 
which the father had asked. He hoped, in accord \\ath the promise 
which had been made him, to obtain the soul of his son, which 
remained always invisible, but which became in an instant the 
size of a nut by the command of Papkootparout, who took it in 
his hands, wrapped it very closely in a little bag, and gave it to 
our Indian. Therewith he gave him orders to return at once to 



93 

his own country; to lay out, immediately after his arrival, the body 
of his son in a wigwam made for the purpose; to replace this soul 
in the body; and above all to take care that there be no opening, 
for fear, said he to the father, lest the soul come out through that 
and return to this country which it was leaving only with extreme 
repugnance. 

The father received with joy this animated bag, and took leave 
of this Indian Pluto, after having seen and examined attentively 
everything which there was of much importance in the principality 
of Papkootparout. That is to say, he saw the place of shades 
where lay the wicked souls; this was overlaid with nothing but 
dried-up and badly arranged branches of fir. But the place of the 
good Indians had nothing except that which was charming and 
agreeable, with an infinity of fine barks adorning the outside and 
the in^de of their wigwams, into which the sun came to comfort 
them twice each day, renewing the branches of fir and of cedar, 
which never lost their natural verdure. Finally, there was an 
infinity of spirits of dogs, canoes, snowshoes, bows, and arrows, of 
which the souls were making use for their pleasure. 

Note, if you please, that ever since this imaginary voyage the 
Indians have not only beheved that souls were immortal, but they 
have also been persuaded, by a strange fancy, that in everything 
of which they made use, such as canoes, snowshoes, bows, arrows, 
and other things, there is a particular spirit which would always 
accompany after death the one who made use thereof during life; 
and it is actually for this reason, and in this foolish fancy, that they 
bury with deceased persons everything which they possessed while 
on the earth, in the behef that each article in particular renders 
them the same service in the Land of Souls that it did to its owner 
when alive. 

Our voyagers, however, returned joyously into their own 
country, and having arrived there they gave to all the Gaspesian 
nation a full account of the marvels which they had seen in the 
Land of Souls, and commanded all the Indians, on behalf of 
Papkootparout, to plant forthwith the Indian corn and the 
tobacco which they had won in playing vnth him at Leldestaganne. 
The orders which were given them on behalf of the governor of 
souls were faithfully executed, and they cultivated with success 



94 

the Indian corn and the tobacco for the space of several years. 
But the neghgence of their ancestors, say they, deprives them to- 
day of all these conveniences so useful and so essential to the 
nation as a whole. 

One knows not how to express the astonishment and the joy 
of these people when they heard of all these marvellous fancies, 
and that the father had brought back in a bag his son's soul, 
which would instruct them in everything from the moment when 
it was seated again in the body. The extreme impatience which 
these Gaspesians felt to learn news of the other world induced 
them to build promptly a wigw^am in the very maimer Papkoot- 
parout had directed. Their hopes, however, were vain and use- 
less, for the father, having entrusted the bag to the care of an 
Indian woman, in order to assist and to dance more freely at the 
public festivals which were made for his happy return, this woman 
had the curiosity to open it, and the soul escaped immediately 
and returned whence it had come. The father, on hearing the 
news thereof, died of chagrin, and followed his son to the Land 
of Souls, to the great regret of all the Gaspesian nation. This 
it is, and this only, which makes our Indians believe in the immor- 
tality of souls. 

From these false premises, based upon a tradition so fabulous, 
they have drawn these extravagant conclusions — that everything is 
animated and that souls are nothing other than the ghost of that 
which had been animated; that the rational soul is a sombre and 
black image of the man himself; that it had feet, hands, a mouth, 
a head, and all other parts of the human body; that it had still 
the same needs for drinking, for eating, for clothing, for hunting 
and fishing, as when it was in the body, whence it comes that in 
their revels and feasts they always serve a portion to these souls 
which are walking, say they, in the \dcinity of the wigwams of 
their relatives and their friends; that they went hunting the souls 
of beavers and of moose with the souls of their snowshoes, bows, 
and arrows; that the wicked, on their arrival at the Land of Souls, 
danced and leaped with great violence, eating only the bark of 
rotten trees, in punishment for their crimes, for a certain number 
of years indicated by Papkootparout (sic) : (228, i.e. 328); that the 
good, on the contrary, lived in great repose at a place removed from 
the noise of the wicked, eating when it pleased them and amusing 



95 

themselves with the hunting of beavers and of moose, whose 
spirits allowed themselves to be taken with ease. Sucli is the 
reason why our Gaspesians have always observed inviolably the 
custom of burying with the deceased everything which was in 
their use during life. 

(27). The Moose People. ^ 

There were two old people who had one son, a hunter, who was 
always away hunting. He did not return once to his father's 
camp during a whole winter, but in the spring he came back. And 
then his parents coaxed him to get married; but he said, "No, I 
can't get married while you are aUve." They said, "Don't let us 
hinder you from getting married; if you can find a woman, marry 
her." So he collected plenty of food and said to his father, "Good- 
bye; I am going away now, but I will come back to visit you a 
year from now." So he started off and came to the place where 
he was going to hunt. 

He built a camp and set his traps. Sometime later in the winter, 
while he was walking along a stream, he was surprised to see a 
wigwam before him with smoke coming out of it. When he went 
closer, he saw a woman's tracks all around it. He knocked at 
the bark door, and was told to open it. When he did so, he was 
surprised to see a very pretty woman standing before him. Imme- 
diately he took a fancy to her. She gave him a seat, and imme- 
diately began to prepare some food, for she had plenty of provisions. 
When he asked her, "Where is your husband?" she told him that 
she had none. "I live alone," said she. After he had finished the 
meal, he said, "I am going home now, but I will come and see you 
again. Is there anything that you want?" She replied, "No, I 
have everything that I want." 

So he went away, but could not help thinking about the girl. 
She pleased him so much that he kept thinking she would be a 
fine helpmate for him. His pensive mood interfered with his 
hunting so much, that he no longer had any desire for the chase. 

• The following singularly colourless myth, which reminds one strongly of some Eskimo tales, 
does not resemble any of my other Malecite stories. It was taken down in Malecite from the dic- 
tation of Barney Sapier. of the Central Kingsclear Reservation, who was then at Oldtown (AcriJ, 
1910). 



96 

One morning he decided to go to see her, and he started off. 
When he got there, she asked him why he had left her and suggested 
that he remain with her. He agreed to remain, and after they had 
their supper, they told each other stories. 

One day in the following spring, while they were still hunting, 
she said, "Let's go down and take care of your parents." But he 
said, "No, you could not get along with them." She said, "I'll 
try it." At once they started and shortly after they arrived there, 
she gave birth to twin boys. The grandfather was very proud 
of his grandchildren. 

Late in the autumn, before the son went away hunting, he said 
to his mother, "Mother, don't abuse my wife while I am away, or 
she'll leave you." She said that she would not, but as soon as her 
son left, she began to abuse her daughter-in-law. One morning, 
after her daughter-in-law had cooked breakfast and was playing 
with her young boys, she said to them, "I'm going to look for j'our 
father," and went away. Her track led through the woods. But 
the track looked as though it were made by a moose. That day, 
while her husband was going through the woods, he saw a moose 
coming. Just as he was going to shoot, it said, "Don't point that 
gun this way." And he looked again and saw his wafe standing 
before him. 

Meanwhile the boys were left in their grandparent's charge. 
Every morning they raced, but one morning their grandfather 
overheard them talking. One was saying to the other, "I'm getting 
lonesome for my mother and father. Suppose we go and look for 
them. To-morrow, before the sun rises, we'll go." The other 
replied, "Can you do anything that a medeuhn can""' "Oh, yes," 
said the first, and he turned himself into a moose and ran off like 
the mnd. He went only a short distance, when he turned around 
and came back and said, "Brother, you always want to race me; 
let's race now." So they started, but soon were back again 
although they had gone a great distance. The next day one said, 
"Let's go and build the morning fire for our grandfather before we 
leave." So the other agreed and proceeded to do so. One said 
to the other, "Let's get a bear for our grandfather," so they started 
off and had not gone very far when they came upon a bear, which 
they killed for their grandfather. They returned to the wig"wam 



97 

and said to him, "Grandfather, ji^o and haul home the })ear which 
we have just killed. He's over there in that little bunch of trees." 
The old man hauled his toVjoggan over and found a very V)ip; bear 
lying there. He put it on his sled and hauled it home, and then 
went to play with his grandchildren. 

The next morning when the old man woke up, he did not hear 
his grandchildren. He thought they were sleeping late, but when 
he went to look for them, they were gone and the fire was out. 
Then he went back and said to his wife, "This is what you have 
brought upon us. Now we are alone, but I'm not going to stay 
with you, for I'm going to look for my grandchildren." So he 
started after them and finally found four moose tracks. This 
forced him to conclude that they must have turned into moose. 
During the day he lost the track, but he still kept hurriedly 
onward and finally arrived at salt water. Their tracks went into 
the water. Upon looking far out he saw four whales spouting in 
the water. The old man jumped up and down on the shore, and 
the whales, seeing him, turned back and tried to come in to shore, 
but could not, because the water was too shallow. So the old man 
turned back.^ 

(28). The Mountain Man.^ 

This is the beginning of my story. 

There lived an old couple and their only daughter together. 
The daughter was a good girl and always obedient. But when one 
day her parents told her to get married, she replied, "No, I will 
not get married unless that mountain (pointing to a mountain 
in the distance) becomes a man." 

While picking cranberries one day the young girl heard a voice 
behind her. When she turned around, she saw a man on the far 
side of the river. He struck her as being a remarkably handsome 
man. 

"Come over here," he said to her. 

"But I cannot," she replied, "I have no canoe." 

"Then jump," he said. 



I The ending of this story is auite similar to Rand's Usitcbulajoo. "Legends of the Micmacs." 
p. 44. I am inclined to think that there was more to the story, which my informant forgot. 

' This story was secured in Malecite text and translated into English hy Barney Sapier of Central 
Kingsclear. N.B.. while I was on the Penobscot Reservation at Oldtown. Maine, io Aoril. 1910. 



98 

"It is too far; I cannot," she retorted. 

She did not know who the stranger was, but with her last words 
"I cannot," she rose up over the river and came down Hghtly 
on the other side. 

The stranger then said to her, "Do you remember what you said 
to your father when he asked you to get married?" 

"Yes," she repUed, "I said I would not get married until yonder 
mountain became a man." 

The man then said, "I am that mountain, and I have come do^vna 
to marry you." 

The girl assented and preparations were made for the marriage. 
After the preparations were completed, the man said to his bride, 
"I am a mountain and I can do anything you would wish me to do. 
Tell me if you are poor, and what does your father do?" 

"Nothing at all; he is too old," she said. 

"Well," said the mountain man, "it is getting late, and I must 
be on my way. I shall return at the same hour to-morrow. Tell 
your father about the arrangements we have made and tell him 
to get some food together.^ Good-bye." 

The girl went home to her parents and said to them, "What I 
have said about the mountain has come to be true. To-morrow 
at this time I am going to get married to the mountain man. Go 
over to the open field, and you can get food or anything you wish."^ 

At the appointed place and time on the next day she appeared, 
where her lover was awaiting her. They proceeded to her home 
immediately. When he met her parents he said, "Your daughter 
and I have decided to get married, as she once said she would 
marry if the mountain would turn into a man. I am that moun- 
tain." 

The old man assented and the pair were married. The bride- 
groom then told the old man that he intended making his own 
home^, and to this the old man agreed. 

When they had departed, the mountain man told his wife to 
hold tight to his belt. She obeyed and shut her eyes. She became 
wholly unconscious and did not recover her senses until she arrived 

1 It ia the custom of the bride's parents to give a feast at the time of the marriage of their 
daughter. 

2 In view of the fact that the girl's father was too old to hunt the mountain man had put it in the 
field, and thus the custom oi the parents supplying the lood would be complied with. 

' Instead of living with his wife's parents, as was more customary. 



99 

at the top of the mountain. Upon opening her eyes she perceived 
a little wigwam and two large snakes in the doorway with their 
heads together. The mountain man kicked them and ordered 
them out of the way. "Don't you know your master?" he said. 
Inside the wigwam two old people were seated, and when the newly 
wedded bride entered, they looked sharply at her, but neverthe- 
less made her welcome. 

One child was born to the girl. After a lapse of time the 
young boy grew into manhood and his father made him a bow 
and arrow, with which he could kill squirrels and partridges. 

One day the mountain man asked his wife if she desired to see 
her parents, and, as she wanted very much to do this, her hus- 
band said, "Well, get ready to go and visit them." They set out and 
the mountain man lowered his wife and child down the mountain. 
He admonished his wife not to let their young son play among the 
other children. He also told her that if she wanted anything to 
eat, whether ducks, geese, or anything else, all she was to do was 
to ask her son to point at them. 

But one time she forgot the warnings of her husband. The boy 
was plajing with the other children and, on pointing his finger at 
one of the children, killed him. The woman, on rushing to the 
door of the wigwam, was confronted by her husband, who chided 
her, saying, "1 told you this would happen. Let us go home. 
Never shall you see this place again." 

Thus ends the tale of the mountain man. 

(29). The Boy Who Lived With the Bears, i 

One autumn a young boy was lost in the woods. His parents 
were camping at the time close to a lake. The young boy wandered 
around in the woods and finally came to a bear's den. He did not 
know what it was; so he did not enter, but stood looking around, 
until an old she-bear appeared, whom he mistook for a woman. 
She said to the little Indian, "Come in and see my grandchildren." 
He entered and saw tw^o cubs there, but thought they were chil- 
dren. He was very hungry at the time, so the she-bear gave him 
all sorts of berries and beech-nuts to eat. The young Indian was 

1 This story was obtained irora Jim Paul. St. Mary Reserve, in August. 1912^ He claimed to 
have gotten it from Noel John. It is given by Rand, "Legends 01 the Micmacs." XLI V. p. 259. 



100 

quite contented to stay with the bear. At night he slept between 
the cubs and thus kept warm. 

During the winter the old she-bear said to the Indian, "There 
is a hunter nearby now who is coming straight to our den.^ I am 
afraid he will kill us, but don't you cry, for you won't be killed. 
There is only one way by which we can all be saved ; I will try and 
force him otf his course." So the old she-bear stuck her paw out 
and started to push with it in the direction in which she wanted 
the hunter to go, in order to make him change his course. ^ After 
a Uttle while the old she-bear said, "We are all right now. We 
won't be bothered any more this winter." 

So in the month of May all the bears left the den and went down 
to the brook to catch the fish which were then going upstream. 
There were lots of suckers in the brook. So the young fellow told 
his grandmother to go and sit down in the middle of the brook while 
he went and drove the fish upstream. As he drove them up he 
shouted, "There they go, grandmother," and she caught them and 
threw them on the bank. At this time an Indian was going 
upstream to see some beaver traps, and heard the boy calling out. 
He listened and decided it was the lost child. So he went back and 
told the parents that he had found the child. All the men started 
up the brook to find him. When they got there, they listened and 
heard the boy calling, "Grandmother, there they go up the stream." 
So the men stole carefully up until they were within sight of him. 
Then they saw the boy driving the fish upstream, while the old 
she-bear was throwing them ashore. So the men rushed upon them, 
and when the old she-bear saw them coming, she ran away mth 
her cubs and the boy. However, the boy could not travel as fast 
as the bears and was soon left behind. When the men came upon 
him, he was crying, "Grandmother, don't leave me," for he had 
forgotten liis own parents. They caught the boy and killed the 
she-bear and her two cubs. The young fellow cried terribly when 
he saw that his grandmother, as he called her, was killed. But 
they told him that it was not his grandmother, but a bear; but 
they could not make him believe that it was not his grandmother. 
When the young boy grew to be a man he remembered that the 
old she-bear told him never to kill a female bear, for he would not 

1 This incident is omitted in ttie Micmac version as given by Rand. 
This is another good case oi sympathetic magic. The bear tries to induce the man to change 
his course by pusning with her paw in that direction. She, as it were, tries to push hia trail over. 



101 

live long after killing one. He became a great hunter and had 
wonderful luck, but he never killed a she-bear, though he killed 
many male bears. After he got married his wife said to him, "It 
is very strange you never kill a she-bear. Tell me why it is," for 
his wife suspected that there was some reason; she knew he had 
been lost and had stayed with the bears all winter. But he said 
it was only accidental that he didn't kill female bears. One day 
his wife feigned to be sick, and when her husband asked her what 
would cure her, she said nothing would cure her except lying on 
the pelt of a she-bear. She did this to make him kill one. He went 
hunting and found a bear's den. While standing before the den 
a she-bear came out and spoke as follows. "Wait a little before 
you kill me, for I have something to say to you. Your wife has 
told you to kill a she-bear. But you are now going to lose your 
luck and you will no longer have good fortune in hunting." When 
the yoimg man heard this, he thought he had h>etter refrain from 
killing the female bear. But she said, "You were going to kill 
me before I told you this, and now you will have to." So he killed 
the bear and took her home and skinned her and gave the pelt 
to his wife, who pretended to get better. But his luck left him, 
and soon after that he was killed. 



(30). The Man Who Lived with the She-Bear. * 

There was an Indian who was a great bear hunter. One day 
in the autunm he left his family and went in search of bears. 
After some days, he found a bear's den and broke a hole into it. 
He spoke to the bear,^ saying that he was sorry he had to kill it. 
The bear, however, answered, saying, "You don't know how 
much harm you have done to bears. You have killed a great 
many she-bears with cubs. I am now coming out. You can 
kill me, if you want to, but I advise you not to, for you have a 
long journey home. You will not have good luck, nor will you 
get any more game, and, therefore, you will probably starve in 
the woods. If you remain here and do not kill me, I will save 
you from starvation, for I have plenty of food in my den." 

» This story was told by James Paul of St. Mary, in August. 1812. 

« A Malecite alwavs tells a bear before he kills it that he is sorry that he is in need of food and 
has to kill it. After he kills it. he is careful to put the bones together and the skulls out of reach 
of other animals, so as not to scare away the spirits of the bears. 



102 

When she had finished saying this, she came out, but he had 
decided not to kill her, so she went back into her den and he fol- 
lowed her, for he seemed to hear a voice whispering in his ear, 
"Go in." After he had entered, the bear closed the hole up 
again. When the hunter looked around him, he saw all sorts 
of berries and dried meat in the den. So he stayed there and 
lived quite well, for he had plenty to eat, and got water by melt- 
ing the snow. 

That winter was a very hard one, for a great deal of snow fell 
and game was very scarce; many hunters died of starvation. The 
Indian was convinced of the sincerity of the she-bear, for he knew 
that he probably would not have gotten home alive had he killed 
her. He was very grateful to her and treated her as his wife. 

In the spring the hunter said he was going to pay a visit to his 
village, but promised the she-bear to come back soon and protect 
her from the hunters. When he got back to his village, he only 
stayed a very short time before he returned to the bear's den. 
He continued to live with her as her husband. Whenever he came 
upon a bear trap while he was out hunting he would spring it, 
for now he was a friend of the bears and never killed any, but on 
the contrary did all he could to help them. 

In the late spring the she-bear gave birth to his children. Some 
time after that when he was down stream fishing, he heard the 
call of his wife and knew that some hunters were coming towards 
his den, so he hastened back to try and save her and his children. 
When he got there, he found them breaking into his den. He 
said to them, "What are you doing, trying to break into my 
camp?" But they rephed, "This is not your camp; this is a bear's 
den. You have been stajdng with a she-bear here. That is 
why you stayed so short a time in the village." 

When the she-bear heard this conversation taking place, she 
came out of the den. As she was coming out, one of the hunters 
saw her, and raised his tomahawk to kill her, but when her hus- 
band saw that, he struck the hunter down with his tomahawk 
and killed him. The other hunter, seeing that the odds were 
against him, ran away. As soon as he got back to the village, he 
told his fellow townsmen what had taken place. 

This man who was living with the bear knew very well that his 
townsmen would soon return to avenge the death of their com- 



103 

rade, so they took council togc^ther to s(>c what was best to be 
done. The she-bear told him to p;o and kill a he-boar and brinj? 
the skin and meat back to the den. Meanwhile she was to ji;u 
with her cubs to a cave which was near by. 

So the hunter went and killed a bear. He carefully skinned and 
hung up the meat outside the den. Not lon^ after he had fin- 
ished his work, the war party came from his village. Tliey asked 
him if he had killed the man, but he said that a hear had entered 
his camp while he was away and had killed the man. He said 
that he had since killed the bear antl pointed to the skin and the 
meat. 

They were satisfied with his story and returned home. When 
they got back to the village his wife said that she knew that he 
was living with a she-bear, for she had had a dream in which she 
saw quite clearly her husband in a den with a she-l)ear. "More- 
over, when he came home," she said, "after being away all winter, 
he did not sleep with me, but slept alone. I will go back with 
you to the den and see for myself. Did not this man see him de- 
fend the she-bear against his own tribesmen?" 

So they consented to take her to the den and all started at 
once. When they got there, the man was not to be found, so 
they examined the den and found the unmistakable traces of the 
man as well as the bear there. The human tracks were quite 
fresh, so they knew that he must be close by, and began to hunt 
for him. Near the river they found very fresh tracks, where he 
had been getting fish. They decided to lie in ambush for him. 
Early the next morning they saw him coming down to the river 
followed by two cubs, who did not walk on all fours, liut walked 
erect as human beings. The hunter did not hesitate, but walked 
straight down to the bank of the river, but the cubs hung back 
as if they knew that there was something wrong. 

When the hunter was almost down to the shore, the other 
Indians rushed out from ambush and surrounded him on all 
sides. His wife was among the first and immediately began 
to scold him, saying, "So this is what you have been doing, is it? 
Living with a she-bear all winter! And you have murdered your 
fellow tribesman to protect a she-bear!" 

The Indians had been so busy with the man, that they paid 
no attention to the cubs, who had meanwhile escaped. 



104 

His wife continued to scold him, saying, "You will have to die 
if you do not bring us to that she-bear. We will burn you to 
death." The man made no reply, so the woman added, "He 
has lost his power of speech and has become like the bears. Let 
us make a fire and burn him to death." 

So they at once set to work to build the fire. Meanwhile they 
tied the man close by and his wife went up to him and cut his face 
with her knife. This made him yell and he said, "Why are you 
cutting my face? You are hurting me." "Oh," said she, "I 
knew you could speak. Now you will have to bring us to where 
the bear is." He promised to bring them to the she-bear, pro- 
vided they would not kill the cubs. 

Then they unloosed him and he led them to the cave. Before 
they got there they could hear the cubs crying. The men paid no 
attention to their promise, but, led on by the woman, proceeded 
at once to kill the bear and the cubs. Before the she-bear died 
she said to her husband, "You did not try to save me, although 
I saved you once and would have saved you again if you had 
followed my advice. You did wrong and will suffer for it, for 
you will be destroyed by the bears." 

After the men had killed the bears, they separated, some of 
them going home, while others started at once to hunt. The 
woman stayed with her husband, for he intended to start at once 
on the hunt. They had not been there long, before a drove of 
bears came upon him and tore him to pieces. They did not 
molest the woman at all. 

(31). The Indian Who Understood the Language of the Dogs.^ 

An Indian hunter, who was camping by the bank of a river, had 
two dogs, one of which he liked very much and fed well, while the 
other he cared little for and gave little to eat. One day another 
Indian arrived to set his traps in the country which stretched 
away from the opposite side of the river. 

The newcomer did not know that there was an Indian camping 
on the opposite side of the river, until he heard the dogs barking 
at night. 

• This story was toid by Jamea Paul of St. Mary Ferry. New Brunswick, in August, 1912. 



105 

One day the newcomer built a raft and crossed over the river 
with his dog. As soon as he got thcn^ his dog Ix'gan to play with 
the well-fed dog of the other Indian. When they began to bark, 
the newcomer could tell what they were saying, for he understood 
the language of the dogs. His own dog asked th(! well-fed dog of 
the other Indian whether he found much game in that jjurt of 
the country. The other dog said that it was very scarcer. Then 
the thin dog spoke up and said, "If my master would feed me well 
and treat me as he does his other dog, I would g(;t him lots of 
game, for there is plenty of game here, but since he hardly feeds 
me, I can't hunt for him." 

The newcomer said nothing about the conversation, but when 
he was going, he offered a beaver skin for the thin dog. The 
other Indian said that he did not want to sell him, but wcjuld 
give him away, for he was no good. The new hunter, however, 
insisted upon giving a beaver skin for him. 

He fed him well and in a few weeks he was in good condition. 
Then he took his two dogs out to hunt. The two dogs started 
off in different directions, but in a short time his new dog returned 
barking to let him know that he had found game. So his master 
followed him and he led him straight to a bear's den. After his 
master had killed the bear, he led him to a beaver pond, where he 
killed several beaver. Every time that they went out hunting, 
his new dog found game, but his old dog found very little. 

One day the dog's old master came to visit his new master. 
His old master was surprised to see so many furs in the camp of 
the newcomer, for he had gotten very few. When he saw his old 
dog, he did not know him, he looked so well. He began to ad- 
mire him and wanted to buy him, but his new master said, "That 
is your old dog, he gets all my game for me. If you had treated 
him decently and fed him well he would have done the samt for 
you. Now I will not sell him for any price." 



106 
TALES OF WAR AND ADVENTURE. 

(32). How the Mohawk War Party Was Drowned.^ 

A Malecite chief was camping one night with his wife and 
daughter on an island, situated not far from where St. Leonards 
now is, when a war party of Mohawks came down the river in 
canoes. Seeing his campfire, they approached and surrounded 
it. Before they reached him, however, he had awakened, and, 
jumping to his feet, sought to escape. A fight ensued in which 
many Mohawks were killed, but finally, being dealt a blow with a 
tomahawk from behind, the Malecite chief was slain. Since they 
were not familiar with the river, the Mohawks decided to spare 
the women's lives, that they might use them as guides. The next 
morning the Mohawks built a raft, on the completion of which 
they all embarked and proceeded down the river. They did not 
put ashore when night came, but drifted on. During the night 
all the Mohawks were asleep, and presently the raft neared the 
upper basin of Grand falls. The women immediately recognized 
it and noiselessly slipped into the stream and swam ashore. They 
then ran rapidly to the falls and arrived in time to see the raft 
dash over the falls. They were overjoyed to see that all the 
Mohawks had drowned, for in wreaking vengeance on the IVIohawks 
they probably saved the lives of their owti tribesmen at the same 
time. 

The women returned to their village and narrated to their 
people what had happened, but they were not believed, since it 
was thought that they had murdered their chief. But a few days 
later the appearance of floating bodies in the stream, unmistakably 
Mohawks, gave credence to their story, and thenceforth the two 
women were highly respected. 



' The next two stories tell how an Iroquois war party went to its destruction over the Grand 
falls. The first version was obtained during the winter of 1911 from Frank Francis, of Tobique 
Point. _ The nest version is a reprint of one of Rand's five Malecite tales found in his "Legends of 
the Micmacs." Those stories are very interesting because of their close resemblance to a Cree 
myth dealing with the same subject, found in A. Scanner's "Notes on the Eastern Crea and North- 
ern Saulteaux'' ("The Legend of Iroquois Falls"). Finding it among two branches of the Algon- 
kin stock, which had in all probability no influence on each other for a very long time, would lead 
one to believe that it harked back to the coming of the Iroquois when the Algonkin were not so 
widely scattered. It will be interesting to see. when the data are in from the other Algonkin tribes 
which are known to have been at war with the Iroquois, if they also have this mj'th. 



107 

(33). A War Party Drowned by Two Women 

(From Rand's " Legends of the Micmacs."^) 

Two Maliseet farailios away above the Grand falls on tlie 
Oolastook (St. John river), had gone to the huntinj? t;roiind in 
the autumn, and had taken up their residence there for the time 
being. The men were out in the woods hunting, and the women 
were keeping camp, when a Mohawk war party cam(> upon the 
camp and took the women captive. As the women were acquainted 
wdth the river below, and the Mohawks were not, they compelled 
the women to act as pilots to the fleet. This consisted of a large 
number of canoes; and as the day was fine, these were all lashed 
together in a body, forming a sort of raft,^ and were left to drift 
with the current. 

As night approached, the warriors inquired if the river was as 
calm and placid below as it was there. They were assured that 
this was the case; but the women knew well where they were, and 
that the Grand falls were not far below. Night settled down upon 
them, and the men were soon all asleep; but the two pilots kept 
wide awake. When they had approached sufficiently near to 
insure the success of their bold enterprise, and sufficiently far off 
to ensure their own safety, the two women quietly slipped do^vTi 
into the water and swam ashore, leaving the captors to the mercy 
of the river. Their fleet was soon carried over the rapids and 
dashed to pieces. Some of them were awakened before the final 
plunge; but they were too far in to extricate themselves, and all 
perished. 

The women were soon joined by some of their friends. They 
stripped the slain of their clothing and ornaments, and gathered 
much spoil; then they danced all night for joy, and were highly 
honoured by their nation. 



1 New York and London: Longmans. Green, and Co.. 1S94. p. 344. 

2 In my storv it was a raft, which seems more natural, since there are several rapids in thi.s part 
of the river, which are so rocky tliat it makes it Quite impoesihle to travel in the manner described 
above without ramming holes in the bottom of the canoes. For this reason the method ol travel 
described in this myth is an unheard of one. 



108 

(34). An Army Drowned by a Single Man. 

(From Rand's "Legends of the Micmacs."^) 

At another time a Maliseet chief, with his wife and two boys, 
were taken captive. On their march homeward their provisions 
ran short, and the Mohawk chief told his captive that he had 
dreamed a singular dream. "I dreamed," said he, "that we roasted 
one of your boys and ate him." "Well," repHed the other, "the 
boys are in your hands and at your mercy; if you choose to make a 
meal of one of them, you are at liberty to do so." Accordingly 
this was done. After a short time the Mohawk dreamed the same 
thing again, and so they roasted the other boy, the father having 
given his consent. 

The father was bound, and could not interfere, had he desired 
to do so; and he looked on with well-dissembled inditference. Not 
so the mother; she, poor thing! was sadly afflicted, and moaned 
with undissembled grief. So her husband remonstrated with the 
Mohawk, and urged him to release the woman. "You have killed 
her children, you have me in your power," said he; "let this suffice. 
Leave the poor woman, and let her shift for herself." To this the 
other agreed, and the woman was set at liberty; she remained 
behind, and the war party, with her husband, went on. 

But they were sorely pressed for food. It was proposed to kill 
one of their own men, but they came to a lake, and the Maliseet 
chief assured them that there were evidences of beaver, and that 
beaver meat was on every account to be preferred. All hands 
turned out for a hunt. It was winter; the snow was deep, and the 
ice thick, and the men were unsuccessful. The captive assured 
them that if they would untie him and let him give directions, 
he would soon obtain a supply of beaver. As no danger could 
result from this experiment, and as they were sorely pinched for 
food, it was determined to unloose the captive, and allow him to 
head the hunting expedition. 

The lake was a singular one — small coves made up into the 
woods at short distances from each other; and in each of these 
coves he directed them to cut holes, and at each hole he placed a 
man, v/ho was to keep a strict watch. The men were all thus dis- 

1 p. 342. 



109 

posed of at some distance from each other, and each out of si^ht 
of all the rest. 

His next move was to go around the lake Hn<l visit each hole, 
to see what the prospect was. Approach! n^ the first hole, he 
listened and pretended to hear a heaver; and while the other was 
bent down over the hole and listeninu; vvitii all his ears, an adroit 
and sudden push sent him headlong under the ice. In this manner, 
one by one, noiselessly he despatched every warrior, and then 
returned to camp and made his report to the astonished chief. 
"And now," said he, "your turn is come; and you can try your 
skill upon me." But alas! the poor fellow had lost all courage 
and all strength of resistance. A blow despatched him, and the 
conqueror soon rejoined his vnfe, and with her returned to his 
tribe, to report his skill in strategy and his success in beaver hunt- 
ing. 

(35). A War Incident. 

(From Rand's "Legends of the Micmacs."^) 

The Indians were all assembled in their chapel on Sunday for 
divine service, when they were suddenly and silently surrounded 
by a hostile party of Mohawks. They went out of their chapel, and 
their chief begged permission of the Mohawk chief to utter three 
words, and to walk round the chapel three times before the work 
of slaughter began. This not unreasonable request was readily 
granted. So he dehberately marched round the chapel, singing 
all the time, and as he came round each time, he uttered a word. 
The day was fine, and the sky cloudless; but suddenly, as he came 
round the third time, the heavens were clothed in blackness, and a 
loud clap of thunder was heard, followed by a torrent of rain. 
The lightning struck the Mohawks, and prostrated and stunned 
them all. Whereupon the Christian Indians fell upon and des- 
patched them. 

1 p. 341. 

(Gabriel Thomas, of St. Mar.v, gave me an account of three war incidents, one of which, he said. 
occurred with the Indiana of Canada, since tlie conversion of those of the Lower Provinces to Chris- 
tianity. He also stated that the names of the places in New Brunswick are Micmac. and that the 
Indians of this latter tribe formerly owned and occiiDied the place, but were driven hack by the 
Maliseets. whose proper designation is Kuhhua — plural. Kuhhu:)oouk, Muskrata). 



110 
(36). Indian Strategy. 

{From Rand's ^^ Legends of the Micmacs.'''^) 

A large war party of the Mohawks, coming down the river, were 
discovered by a sohtary hunter. This man was near the shore 
and he saw them pass. His canoe w^as near ; but he had taken the 
precaution to hide it in the woods, knowing that they w^ould land 
at night. He waited until dark, and then launched his canoe and 
glided down cautiously until he discovered their fires on the shore. 
He then landed, carried his canoe on his back round the enemy, 
and again placed it on the river. He held on his way without 
stopping until he reached the village to which he belonged, where 
he spread the alarm. But unfortunately the warriors were nearly 
all absent on a hunting expedition, and only three men could be 
mustered, but these resolutely undertook the task of defending 
their wives and little ones. Each w^arrior manned a canoe, and 
all pushed up the river. They selected their ground, and quietly 
awaited the approach of the foe. 

The place selected as the most suitable for their purpose was 
the extreme end of a long point, formed by a sharp angle in the 
river. Here they watched until the fleet of the war-party hove in 
sight. They now proceeded to action, and their plan was to deceive 
the enemy in respect to their numbers. The three canoes now 
showed themselves, and the foremost one landed, and dragged 
the canoe up after him into the bushes, followed successively by 
the other two. The enemy also immediately landed, and watched 
to learn the strength of the other party. Their position was on 
the opposite shore, and so far up the stream that the river below 
the point was concealed from their view'. This was what the 
others had calculated upon, and no sooner had the foremost one 
landed, than he hastily conveyed his canoe across the point and 
replaced it in the water — so that by the time the third one had 
landed, the first one was ready to land again; and thus they pro- 
ceeded successively, while their "friends" on the opposite bank 
watched and kept count. They continued this operation until 
dark, when they lighted their torches and carried on the work 
far into the night. The amazed Mohawks counted until they 

' p. 345. 



Ill 

discovered, as they supposed, tluit their enemies far outnumbered 
them, and wisely concluded that prudence would he the better part 
of valour and that they would better sue in tim<' for peace. 

About equidistant from the two hostile camps, in the middle 
of the river, there was a rock; towards this, socjn after daybreak, 
a solitary canoe from the Mohawk party was seen making its 
way with a "flag of truce." Ono of the three on the other side, 
assuming the dignity of chief, moved over in stately composure 
to meet the other. Terms of peace were proposed, which aft -r 
due delay and consideration, were accepted; and, finally satisficfl, 
they dug a grave, buried their weapons, and never afterward 
violated the peace. Indians know how to appreciate generalship 
as well as brute force. In this instance brute force was used, f(;r, 
during the discussion of peace preliminaries, the Maliseet who 
pretended to be a chief seized a war-club, and, striking a rock, 
shivered it at a blow; this strength of arm was believed to have 
had no small influence on the other party in bringing them to 
terms. 

(37). The Adventures of Elnadu.^ 

In the autumn of the year Elnadu went into the woods to 
hunt, taking his wife and sister-in-law with him. Wlien they got 
to the hunting ground they made a winter camp- and the other 
preparations for wint^i. During the winter Elnadu knew that 
the enemy were approaching. One evening, when he came home, 
he knew that the enemy had surrounded their wigwam and that 
they would soon close in upon them. He also knew that the 
enemy hesitated to make an attack on account of his reputation 
for bravery. The enemy were pondering on a scheme to capture 
him without any danger to themselves. The follo^^^ng morning 
Elnadu started hunting as usual, and when the enemy knew he 
had left the wigwam, they entered the camp and made the women 
promise to help them. Under pain of torture, they forced the 

1 This story was told by Jim Paul, of St. Mary Reserve, during the summer of 1912. Elnadu is 
supposed to be a historical cliaracter. He was a very brave chief. 

' A winter camp differs from a summer camp in that it has a square Iok base composed of three 
tiers of logs. On top of this sciuare log wall a pyramidical bark structure is erected. The crevices 
are well stopped with moss and .sometimes the bark superstructure is covered with spruce boughs. 
Like the conical wigwam the smoke-hole is at the apex. They both have a w;nd-f>hield. which is 
shifted when the wind changes. 



112 

women to promise to play with Elnadu and then propose to him 
that they tie him up to see if he could break loose. Then they 
were to come upon him. That night, when Elnadu returned, the 
women carried out the plan, and, having asked him what he would 
do should the enemy appear, they rushed out of the wigwam and 
shouted. Immediately the enemy rushed in and tied him securely. 
Then they started for their own country, taking Elnadu, the two 
women, and Elnadu's child along with them, so as to have the 
pleasure of torturing them. Elnadu's wife was pregnant. On 
the journey the women were forced to keep the fire going all night 
and to dry the toe rags^ for the men. The snow was quite deep, 
and once, during a very severe snowstorm, they were forced to make 
camp and remain there until the weather improved. So they 
took advantage of their forced stop to make new snowshoes. 
Having finished these, they started on again. 

One night one of the warriors of the enemy began to sing his 
war song.^ At once Elnadu knew what was in the mind of the 
warrior and said to him, "It is not necessary that you sing; take 
your choice of either the women or the child." So the warrior 
got up and cut a stick and sharpened it, and, after transfixing 
the child, placed him before the fire to roast. The screams of 
the child almost drove its mother frantic. Then Elnadu reproved 
her, saying, "Don't cry. If you had not tied me, this would not 
have happened." Then the chief ate the child before its parents' 
eyes. 

Next day they continued their journey. By this time it was 
almost spring. After they had marched for a few days, Elnadu 
told the women to try and make their escape that night. He told 
them to leave during the night, and he would try to detain the 
enemy. Next morning, when the enemy found the women had 
left, they wished to follow; but Elnadu said, "Why do you want 
to follow the women? They are only cowards and it will give 
you no sport to torture them. It is much better to let them starve 
in the woods. I am the person who has killed your brothers. 
You had better torture me." So the warriors changed their 

I The Malecites. of course, did not have socks, but wound pieces of dressed deerskin around their 
feet in winter. 

- This song was the individual property of this warrior. Each warrior had his own individual 
song of this type. 



113 

minds and did not follow the wonion, hut continiUMl on tlurir 
journey. 

A few days later Elnadu sang his war song. The chief told 
him to pick any one of his followers to oat. Elnadu said, "I do 
not eat human flesh; all I want is a heaver. There are lots of them 
in the lake near hy."^ So the chief con-sented to give Elnadu a 
feast of beaver meat and sent some of his warriors to captun; them. 
They broke the beavers' dam hut were unable to capture a b<'aver, 
for Elnadu used his power to keep the beavers away from them.^ 
So they returned to the chief empty handed. Elnadu laughed 
and said, "Your men are no good. You and I will have to go 
down to catch this beaver." So Elnadu and the chief started, 
and when they got there, the chief cut a hole through the ice by 
the side of the beavers' house. Elnadu went on top of the heavers' 
house to scare the beavers out. The beavers, however, would not 
come cut. Often they approached the door of the house, but 
would turn and go back, for Elnadu used his power to ke(!p them 
in. Elnadu then said to the chief, "If I had one hand free, I 
could take a stick and push it through the top of the house and 
then you could catch hold of them as I drive them out." The 
chief rephed, "If I let you have one hand free, you might escape." 
But Elnadu said, "How could I do that with only one hand?" 
So the chief was deceived and undid one of Elnadu 's hands. 
So Elnadu took a stick and began to poke with it inside the 
beavers' house. The beavers would come right to the edge of the 
door, but Elnadu had the power to hold them back. So, when 
the chief stooped far over to put his hand inside the beavers' 
house to drag a beaver out, Elnadu quickly shoved the chief 
through the hole in the ice and he was drowned. Then he unloosed 
his other hand and had little trouble in killing the warriors, who 
were well-nigh powerless without their ginap. However, he saved 
two to send back to their own country to tell of Elnadu's feat. 

He then turned back to overtake the women. It was then 
spring. Before Elnadu overtook the women, his wife had given 
birth to a child in a little hut which her sister had constructed. 
After doing that, her sister gathered a pile of wood so that the sick 
mother could keep a fire going. Then she started back to notify 

1 See No. 34. reprinted from Rand, of the Dresent collection, where the same incident occurs. 

2 Quite commonly the gin.ips used their power either to bring the game close or to keep it away. 



114 

her tribe of Elnadu's capture. When she arrived at Meductic, 
she met four warriors, two of whom were Elnadu's brothers. At 
once these men started to rescue Elnadu. While Elnadu was 
travelling along on the side of a hardwood ridge, his wdfe looked 
down and saw him. She did not know how to attract his attention, 
for she was out of wood and was too weak to call. So she pinched 
her child and caused it to cry. Elnadu heard the noise and stopped 
and listened, but the noise had ceased and he again started on. 
Again his wife pinched the child, and this time he distinguished it 
as the voice of a child, and, looking in the direction from which 
it came, he saw some smoke. He went immediately in that 
direction and found his wife and baby. Elnadu had a porcupine 
on his back which he had caught. He cooked it for his -^afe. 

They remained there some time to give his wife an opportunity 
to regain her strength. Before she got strong, the four braves, 
accompanied by Elnadu's sister-in-law, arrived. They were very 
much surprised to see Elnadu and, since he had killed all of the 
enemy, they returned to their own village to feast and celebrate 
the victory. 

(38). A Story Told to John Giles. ^ 

A digression. There is an old story told among Indians of a 
family who had a daughter that was accounted a finished beauty, 
having been adorned with the precious jewel, an Indian educa- 
tion ! She was so formed by nature and polished by art that they 
could not find for her a suitable consort. At length, while this 
family were once residing at the head of Penobscot river, under 
the White hills, called Teddon, this fine creature was missing, 
and her parents could learn no tidings of her. After much time 
and pains spent, and tears showered in quest of her, they saw her 
diverting herself with a beautiful youth, whose hair, like her own, 
flowed down below his waist, swimming, washing, etc., in the 
water; but they vanished on their approach. This beautiful 
person, whom they imagined to be one of those kind spirits who 
inhabit the Teddon, they looked upon as their son-in-law, and, ac- 
cording to their custom, they called upon him for moose, bear, or 



1 Taken from "Memoirs of John Giles," 16SS: p. 45. 



115 

whatever creature they desired, and if they (Hd hut ^o to the water 
side and signify their desire, the animal woidd come swimminj; to 
them! 1 have heard an Indian say that he Hved by the river, at the 
foot of the Teddon, the top of which he coiihl see throujrh the liolc 
of his wigwam left for the smoke to i)ass out. He was tempted to 
travel to it, and accordingly set out on a sumhikt iiKjrning, and 
laboured hard in ascending the hill, all day, and the toj) seemed as 
distant from the place where he lodged at night as from his wig- 
wam, where began his journey. He now concluded the spirits 
were there, and never dared to make a second attempt. 

I have been credibly informed that several others have failed 
in like attempts. Once three young men climbed towards its 
summit three days and a half, at the end of which time they 
became strangely disordered with delirium, etc., and when their 
imagination was clear and they could recollect where they were, 
they found themselves returned one day's journey. How they 
came to be thus transported they could not conjecture, unless 
the genii of the place had conveyed them. These White hills, 
at the head of Penobscot river, are, by the Indians, said to be much 
highe'r than those called Agiockoehhook, al)Ove Saco. 



(39). How Two Malecites Were Captured, and What They Did 

to Escape.^ 

A young Indian and his uncle were hunting together in the 
western part of the country, when a band of strange Indians came 
near them. The old man being a ginap, knew that they were 
coming, and told his nephew that their enemies were close at hand, 
that they knew of their own presence and were making preparations 
to attack them. The young man suggested that they permit 
themselves to be captured in order to see the enemies' country and 
villages, trusting in his own power to escape, for he was also a 
ginap, although his uncle was not aw'are of the fact. So the old 
fellow agreed, and they divested themselves of their clothes as 
if in preparation for battle; then they lay down, one on each side 
of the wigwam, for they were not going to make any resistance. 



I A story which Jim Paul got from his father-in-law, who in turn obtained it from his father. 
Told me in August. 1912. at St. Mary Reserve. 



116 

in the midst of these preparations the old man told his nephew 
that the enemy was coming, prepared for the attack. 

After making some preparations, the enemy charged and over- 
powered them and were about to bind them with rawhide strips, 
when the older man told them not to go to that trouble, for they 
were willing to go with them without being bound. 

So the enemy did not bind them, and all started together for 
the land of the captors. On the way thither it began to snow and 
they were compelled to go into camp. Here they had to remain 
for some time to make snowshoes, for it was necessary to kill some 
caribou in order to obtain the material. 

When the snowshoes were made, they resumed their journey 
and came to a lake called in Malecite "Pure Lake." Here they 
tarried, for it was spring and they could no longer go on snow- 
shoes; accordingly, they built canoes. 

Now the young man's uncle was a powerful ginap and he made 
use of his power to keep all the beaver away, so that their captors 
could not kill any. The result was that the game was scarce. 
His nephew was also helping him. This young man became quite 
intimate with a young man of the other tribe. Both the old and 
young man had great power, but the young man advised his uncle 
to permit the game to approach them, for his friend of the other 
tribe was on the verge of starvation and would probably soon die 
unless he obtained some food. Accordingly, the old man told a 
member of the other tribe to proceed down to a certain lake, where 
he would be sure to get some beaver. So that man went down 
with one of his men. When they arrived at the lake, they found 
beaver, but were unable to catch them. They, therefore, returned 
to the camp empty-handed. The old man jumped up and said 
to the returning party, "What is the trouble? Why did you not 
get the beaver?" 

But the young man said to his uncle, "You must go yourself, 
for my chum is very hungry." The old man said to the warrior 
who was the leader of the enemy, "You could catch me, but j^ou 
cannot catch the beaver. Come mth me and I will show you how 
to catch beaver." Accordingly they did so. The young man's 
uncle seemed to bring the beavers to him and the leader of the 
enemy killed them. "I'll show you what a Malecite can do," 



117 

said the young man's uncle. They brought the beaver back to 
camp and had a great feast. After eating to satiety they had left 
a supply of beaver meat sufficient to last them until they returned 
to their village. 

When they arrived at the village, the whole band of Indians 
gathered together and shouted, "We have two ginaps from the 
St. John river; therefore let us torture them." 

When the chief heard this, he came forth from his hut to see 
them. When he saw the young man he thought it was his own 
son whom he resembled.^ So the chief said, "Do not kill this 
fellow. He is my son. I will adopt him." 

Then they built a dance hall out of bushes opened at the top, 
with a door at each end and a guard at each door. When it was 
completed, they ordered the young man's uncle to give his war 
song before he was tortured. His uncle accordingly danced back 
and forth three times from one door to the other. On the third 
time he raised his war club as if to kill the guard, but did not strike 
him; nevertheless, the guard fell down. Then he danced back 
again and did the same thing to the other guard, who also fell 
down as if dead; then he went out and turned into an owl and flew 
away. But he had barely enough strength to fly over a ridge of 
hills which could be discerned in the distance. The chief was 
going to send his braves forth after him, but the young St. John 
River Indian told the chief that it w^ould not be of any use to follow 
him, "for he flies like the wind, and is doubtless already at our 
village." If, however, they had followed him, they would prob- 
ably have caught him on the other side of the mountain, for his 
poW'Cr was completely exhausted. In this way the young fellow 
saved his uncle's life, for he was able to get home successfully. 

When his nephew had become a man, he told the old chief 
of the tribe which had captured him to accompany him to 
the St. John. To this he consented, and when they arrived 
there, the Malecites did not harm the old chief of the enemy, 
because he had saved the young Indian's life. Here they 
remained several months and they returned to their own 
country (on the St. Lawrence river). Some time after this 
the old chief died, and the young man returned to the 
Malecites. On the way back he came to the Alagash River lake, 

1 He had lost his two sons when they had previously gone out to fight the Malecites. 



118 

where he found some Malecite hunters. These he informed that 
a war party of another tribe was very near at hand. Knowing 
that they did not have a ginap, he told them that they were in a 
dangerous place and pointed out the mountain where the chief 
ginap of the enemy was hunting for snakes. On the following 
morning he put on his cedar slat snowshoes, started for this 
mountain, went around it, and found where the tracks of the 
enemy's ginap went up the mountain. He followed these tracks, 
but when he got to the top he could not find the brave, but only 
his snowshoes, which were standing against a tree. A more care- 
ful search, however, revealed him in the top branches of a pine 
tree. About the same time the chief perceived him. The hunter 
sat down upon a log and drew forth his pipe and ht it, while he 
waited for the other to come to the ground. After he had smoked 
one load, he took the brave's snowshoes to one side and said to 
himself, "These are my own snowshoes." When the ginap of 
the enemy heard this, he began to descend the tree. The latter 
said, "Give me a chance. Don't shoot me while I am still in the 
tree." He tried always to keep on the other side of the tree from 
the Malecite, but the latter kept following him around. When 
he got close to the ground the Malecite shot his arrow at him. 
The other brave dropped to the ground still alive. He told the 
Malecite that he was fortunate, for he would not have killed him 
so easily had he been on the ground. 

The Malecite said, "You still want to talk. I could kill a dozen 
like you." And as he said this, he raised his hatchet and despatched 
him. He then put on his adversary's snowshoes, for they were 
better than his, because they were netted with rawhide. Previous 
to this the Malecite snow-shoes had always been made of cedar 
boards. Now seeing the smoke arise from the enemy's camp, 
he knew where they were hiding and, stealing up, killed them like 
so many animals, for they were helpless before the hands of a 
ginap after the loss of their own. He then went back to his 
followers on the lake' and told them that the danger was over, for 
he had killed the enemy. So each one took a pair of the snow- 
shoes belonging to the enemy, for they were netted with rawhide 
like the ginap's. When spring came they went down the St. John 
river in their canoes to their own village.^ 

' Here the version of Newel John stops: the following is the version of Gabe Aauin. the father- 
in-law of Jim Paul. 



119 

When the ginap got to be quite an old man, he went 
out hunting with his three nepiiews to the same place where 
he had been captured when he was a boy; they also had 
their wives with them. While they were h\mting, the oldest 
nephew said to one of his brothers, "I think that the enemy 
are near our camp, and if you go there, look carefully 
about you for tracks before approaching it." The younger 
brother did not beUeve his older brother, and when he came to 
the camp, he did not reconnoitre and examine?, but went right in, 
and the enemy captured and killed him. The oldest brother told 
his youngest brother to go to the camp, watch carefully for the 
enemy, and learn if his brother had arrived safely. He did as he 
was bid, found his brother's tracks, and went straight into the 
camp. He saw the enemy at last, but at the same time the enemy 
saw him. He fied and the enemy followed. He went straight for 
the inlet of the lake. When he got a])out half way, he curved and 
made for an island, and concealed himself there. ^ When the 
enemy came to a place where they could see the head of the lake, 
they could not discern him. So they thought that he had gone 
over very swiftly and gotten past there, for they had not yet come 
to a place where the tracks turned. Therefore, they thought it 
useless to follow and turned back. When he saw that they had 
left, he went back to where his brother was. He told him of the 
death of his brother and warned him not to go back, because the 
enemy had holes in the house to look through. The older brother 
said it was of no use to try to protect the women, that they w^ould 
not be harmed anyhow. The youngest brother felt quite down- 
hearted, for he had just been married, but he consented. So they 
decided to go in search of their uncle, having great faith in his 
power. When they found him two days later, they told him what 
had happened. The young man said that if he had a man to go 
with him, he would go after them. "But what use is there for you 
to be concerned about the women, when there are lots of them 
at Ekpohak?^ If I wasn't so old now, I could help you." The 
next day the young man said again that if he had a man to go 
with him, he would go after them. The uncle assented, but he said 
that they should not go until the next day, for the enemy would be 

■ The lake was. of course, frozen over. 

- Literally translated, "the end of tide water." now called Spring Hill. 



120 

watching on that clay. So they started on the following morning. 
When they got close, the uncle said to his youngest nephew, "What 
can you do to help?" He answered, "I can make it rain hard." 
The uncle replied that that would be of no avail, for when they 
would make camp, they would make a good one out of bark. 

He then asked the oldest nephew what he could do to help. 
He answered, "I can make it snow hard." The uncle repUed, 
"That will be better, for they will only be able to make a brush 
camp and we will be able to get at them." So he made it snow 
hard, and the uncle and his two nephews made a brush camp for 
the night. During the night it stopped snowing. The uncle 
asked his nephews, "Who will go and see how they are lying?" 
This was so that they would make no mistake and kill the women. 
The youngest volunteered and the uncle told him, "They may 
hear you," but the young fellow assured him that they would not. 
So the youth started out, and when he got there, he found a camp 
situated on each side of the fire. He came up close and peered 
through a hole which he made. He saw the women working the 
hides for the manufacture of toe rags. The men had made a 
device — a stick was arranged in such a manner that it was easy 
to give the alarm and rouse everyone in case of need. Thinking 
themselves secure, they had pro\ided no guards, and were sleep- 
ing soundly. He crept up right behind his wiie, but she did not 
know that he was there. Accordingly he reached through and 
dropped his pouch to give her the news. She recognized it, but 
she did not then pick it up for fear of giving the alarm. Soon after 
she arose and went out, pretending that she was going out to fetch 
some wood. Her husband followed her. He told her that they were 
going to rescue her. He then went back and told his uncle what 
had happened. Then they returned to the camp where their wives 
were held in captivity. On the way he told his uncle that he would 
do the kilhng. But his uncle said that he would do it himself. The 
women in the meantime had burnt up all the moccasins and toe 
rags. They told the women to start right off and that they 
would overtake them. So one brother stood at each end of the 
camp, while the uncle went in among them and shot and killed the 
ginaps. When the warriors heard the noise and saw the ginaps 
dead, they jumped up and made off. The uncle got to one door 
and killed all who attempted to escape through it. The oldest 



121 

brother, on the other hand, let all his men by, knowing; that they 
would not be able to go very far with nothing in the way of pro- 
tection for their feet. They all then left the camp. The young 
man asked his younger brother how many he had killed. He said, 
"None." It wasn't long when one man came followed by two 
more. The old fellow asked them, "How many of you are there?" 
He replied that about fifty were still alive. So the old fellow said, 
"If you had not taken the women, this would not have happened." 
The old man then took his hatchet and killed the three. Soon the 
rest came back. The old man asked if any were missing, and they 
replied that there were not. He, therefore, upbraided them and 
slew all but three. After cutting off their ears, he sent them back 
to their own country to tell their people what had happened. He 
also cut off a finger from the hand of each. 



(40). Story of the Two Malecites Who Went West. How One 
Was Killed and the Other Married and Esoaped.^ 

Two Malecites went west on a journey to explore the country 
of the enemy. They were encamping in a place in this country, 
when an owl came and lit upon a tree near their camp. After it 
had alighted, it hooted. This it continued to do for some time. 

After a few days one of the Indians took sick and died. After 
his death the Indians of the strange tribe came to the camp and 
saying nothing, carried the corpse away. As they were quite 
numerous, his companion could not object. When they had 
carried it some distance, they ate it, because game was so scarce, 
that it seemed as if it were kept away by the spell of some great 
magician. 

In two or three days the owl returned to the camp where the 
other Indian was still living and did the same thing as on its first 
appearance. But before this the daughter of the chief had visited 
the camp and taken quite a fancy to the stranger, for he was very 
comely. So when the owl returned, she felt a desire to save him, 
for she knew that it was the owl who had killed his companion. 
So she secretly went to his camp and told him that it was her 
uncle, who was a great shaman disguised as an owl, who was 

1 The foUowine story was obtained from James Paul, of St. Mary, in August. 1912. 



122 

trying to kill him as he had killed his companion. After communi- 
cating this to him, she left, but returned the following day, when 
they decided to ask her father to permit them to get married. This 
the chief permitted, for the young man seemed to have great power 
and obtained a great deal of game, which he gave to the chief. 

Some time after the marriage the Indians held a council, for 
they thought that the young man was banishing the game from 
their country. As he was now in the chief's family, the latter 
would have to be paid blood money for his death. The chief was 
absent from this council, so a delegation was sent to him wdth big 
bundles of fur as a payment for the life of his son-in-law. The 
chief, however, refused. 

While these things were taking place, the young man was away 
from the village hunting. When he returned, his wife told him 
what had taken place. She told him that her father might change 
his mind, for he also was beginning to think that the young man 
was responsible for the condition of the game. The young man 
again went away on a four days' trip. When he returned with 
lots of game, his wife said, "My uncle and one of my brothers 
have consented to sell your life." That day, when he visited his 
father-in-law, his father-in-law asked him if he had found any 
bears in his travels (for, although he brought back much game of 
many sorts, he never brought any bear meat). The young man 
denied seeing any bears. His father-in-law replied, "You must 
have come across some bears, for I see some red mud on your 
snowshoes. Did you not jump across a brook or a spring which 
was unfrozen?" He said he had. The chief asked him if it was 
far away. The young man repHed that it was only a short distance. 
So the chief went out and shouted that his son had found bears. 
The next morning the chief told the young man to take his uncle 
and brother-in-law to the mud hole. The uncle thought that the 
bears would kill his nephew. Before they started, the young man's 
wife said to him, "My uncle will kill the two small bears, leaving 
the big one for you. When he sends you to kill it, don't attempt 
to kill it from the side, but rush straight for it and hit it on the 
head with your hatchet." 

When they arrived at the unfrozen spot in the brook, they 
built a trench and a dam for the purpose of flooding the bears' 



123 

den and driving thorn out. The first boar to conK; o^ t whs ohp 
of the small ouos. Tho younf? man's unole kilhsd it. Soon aiiotljor 
small one appeared. The old man killed that, too. Then tho old 
bear came out and the uncle told his nophow to kill it. It wiw 
very large, and tho old man thought that it would kill his noi)how, 
but the young man did as his w^ife had told him and easily killed 
it. The old man thought, "My young son-in-law had some 
unknown way of escape from my spell." 

Some days after this the young man wont on anoilu^r hunting 
trip, which lasted for four days. On his return, his wife told hira 
that her father was wilHng to sell him, but one of his uncles 
still held out, saying that the young man supplied them with game 
and if he were killed, they would starve. His wife continued, "We 
will have to leave now. I have power to kill my relations. I 
will do it to my uncles, but I will not to my father. Go in the 
morning due east. Travel as fast as you can. In four days I will 
follow you and I will soon overtake you." After they had started, 
he brought a big bundle of furs to the chief, and he told them 
that they would have to await the return of the young men. 
When the four days were up, the chief said to his daughter 
that it was time for her husband to be back. His daughter 
said, "You know how long he usually stays — four or five 
days or more." On the fourth day his wife followed him. 
In one half a day she overtook him on a long barren. She 
told him that they would have to hurry, for his enemies had 
already started out in pursuit. Soon after she looked back and 
saw that they were coming, and she knew that they woulil be 
overtaken. So they circled and came back to within a few 
feet of their former tracks. She said to her husi)and. "Can 
you hit them at that distance?" As it was only a few feet from 
the trail, he said, "I would be a very poor shot if I couldn't." So 
she took off one of her snowshoes and stood it up. Then they 
got behind the snowshoe,^ and when her uncle passed them with 
her other relatives, he shot him. The other men picked hira up 
and carried him home, for they were powerless without him.- 

' She used her power to make them invisible. It is quite evident that those followinn their 
tracks could not see them. 

' Her uncle was the only shaman in the party. They realized that it would h.«ive been quite 
useless to attempt to capture the fugitives without the use of magic. 



124 

So they started off again. Not long afterwards his wife said, 
"My other uncle is after us; we must circle again." So they did 
as they had done before, and killed the man, who was then carried 
away as the other had been before him. Now the only relative left 
who had power to overtake them was her father. The young man's 
w*ife said to him, "Hurry, I don't want my father to overtake us, 
for I will not kill him. We are very close to the hne. If we reach 
it, we will be safe." They hastened, but her husband became quite 
exhausted. She finally had to take him by the hand and assist 
him. However, they just got over the line as the old man 
reached them. The chief said, "You are lucky that you got 
over the Une; you are safe now. If you had not crossed the line, 
I could have captured you and taken you back." The old man then 
told them that they could come back over the line, and that 
they could also remain all winter and in the spring build a canoe 
and go dovm the river. He described the best streams for the 
return journey. "There are three falls which you must go down 
on foot and explore before you pass in the canoe," said he. "In 
doing this you must put on a bear's skin, for otherwise there 
might be something to injure you, but by putting it on you avoid 
the danger." The old man then returned home. 

And when spring came, they made a skin canoe and descended 
the river just as they had been told by the old man. They 
finally arrived at their \illage. There they remained a year 
or two, and at the end of that time the young man asked his 
wife if she would like to see her parents. She said that she 
would, but was afraid that her husband might get killed. He 
told his wife not to worry over that, promising to take her to see 
them without any danger. So they poled up the St. John and the 
Madawaska river and portaged to the St. Lawrence. They came 
upon another tribe and remained in their \illage for some time. 
While there, they heard that a chief of another tribe was there 
trading furs. 

So the young man said to his wife, "I guess that is your 
father." She agreed with him. Then he asked her if she would 
like to see him, but she did not want to. 

So he said to her, "I tliink I will go to see him." So he put 
his hatchet in his belt, and when he found his father-in-law, he 
shook hands with him. Then he said to him, "You made all sorts 



125 

of plans to kill me and indeed sold me for the furs which you jiro 
even now exchanging. I will not kill you Hccrctly, l)ut in the 
presence of all." And as he spoke, he raised his hatchet mid 
killed him. The chief of the tribe with which the youn^ ru:in 
was staying, seeing the straightforward manner in which \u- killed 
the man, decided that he had some reason for the act. This he 
told the assembled members of his tribe in a council which they 
had called to investigate the case. But they thought it best to 
inquire into those reasons. So the young man was questioned and 
he told his story, and they allowed him to go free. 

It was then winter, but nevertheless they returned home by 
way of the St. Lawrence. When they got as far as Temiscouata 
lake, they found lots of hunters camping there. They were told 
by a ginap that an enemy was on the other side of the mountain 
waiting for them to begin the battle. "All these men here are not 
able to do anything. I am told to go and meet him, but I can't 
find any weak spot on the ginap where he can be killed. The only 
thing that I think can be done is to fight him out on the ice of 
the lake and put him under the ice," said the ginap. Then the 
old ginap asked him if he would try and meet him. The young 
fellow replied that he could with his aid and that of his own 
wife. So they sent a message to the ginap of the enemy that 
there would be a combat the next day at noon at two posts 
which they would erect on the lake. So the next day, before 
the young man went out to meet the unknown ginap, the old 
ginap gave him the following advice. "When you clinch, stamp 
three times on the ice. The ice will then break and then you 
will be able to try to shove him through the ice." When they 
met, the struggle was long and fierce; it was doubtful who was 
getting the better of it. The old brave did not know what was 
the trouble. But the young man's wife knew that he had for- 
gotten about stamping on the ice and shot an arrow, which 
hit him on the toe of his moccasin. Then the young ginap 
knew what this meant, and stamped three times on the ice, 
which then broke. He shoved his opponent through the 
ice, which closed over him. Then the old brave said, "This ice 
will not thaw out for seven years." Even the spring holes were 
solid and there were no places where the strange ginap could come 
out. They could even hear him going about under the ice. When 



126 

the rest of the enemy knew that their brave was dead, they went 
back to their own country, and after seven years they found him 
on the shore, looking as if he had been dead only a short time. 

MICMAC STORIES. 

(41.) The Naming of Restigouche, a Micmac Story. ^ 

I want to tell the story of how Restigouche obtained its present 
name. It was more than two hundred years ago. There was a 
man named Tunel who was buowin and ginap and belonged to the 
Micmac tribe. Before it received the name Restigouche, the place 
was called Tedjigukh. They had their village there on the left 
hand side of the river. Every summer the Indians had to go up 
the river and get fish for the winter season. They usually went 
to fish in a big pool which was called "Lamigawamk,"^ which 
means "inside." On this occasion Tunel, who was chief of the 
tribe, took a score of families with him on his fishing trip. Not 
long after they had started out, they met another tribe of Indians, 
Mohawks, who had twenty-five families with them. Their chief 
was quite a young man. His father, too, accompanied the expedi- 
tion. When the Mohawks neared the camp of Tunel, they stopped 
and reconnoitred and watched the movements of Tunel's company. 
The young chieftain of the Mohawks wanted to go out and slay 
Tunel's tribe and called them a derisive name, but his father 
restrained him and rather advised that he pay them a peaceful 
visit with the object of the two tribes holding a merry gathering 
and feast together. He also pointed out to his son that these 
Indians would be reinforced by great hosts of their tribe who lived 
to the eastward. But the youthful chief was determined to kill 
these people and planned to do so while they slept that very 
night. The old man said, "Do then as you wish, I have warned 
you." 

Tunel was wholly unaware of their presence. His Indians 
retired early, that they might be fresh the next day for their fish- 
ing trip. But in his party there were two old women and a boy 
who camped at some distance from the rest of the party. One of 

1 The next two Micmac stories were secured in text in the autumn of 1911 from John Peter Paul, 
of Richibucto. They were translated by Barney Somerville. of Burnt Church, in September, 1912. 
"He is inside" is lamigavximpkek. 



127 

these women had a premonition that something unusual was ^oinR 
to take place. She accordingly sent out the hoy to carry this 
message of apprehension to Tunel and to warn him to l.c on Ruard. 
But Tunel disdainfully told the boy to return and tell the old 
woman that he defied their powers to foretell the future, 'i'he 
two old women, therefore, decided that they must save themselves 
at least. They, therefore, took down the wigwam and put it iiiti; 
their canoe and proceeded down th(^ river untill they came to a large 
eddy, and there they put it up in an out of the way place. When 
morning came they heard yelling and shouting of Indians. While 
the Micmacs were sleeping soundly, the Mohawks came down 
upon them and put them all to death. 

Shortly after the two old women had heard the yelling and 
screaming, they started down the river again and brought the news 
to the tribe, telling them that they thought Tunel must have been 
killed. But it happened that although all the other Indians were 
slain in the conflict, Tunel succeeded in making his escape by 
jumping into the pool, although he was wounded many times. 
He then swam under the water and came forth 5 miles below, 
where a spring gushes forth into the river, called Pigolowetck, 
which means "pouring." Here he lay on his back and let the water 
pour into his wounds. Then he sang a song. 

The Mohawk chief was still watching for Tunel when he heard 
him singing far down below. In his song Tunel said, "You must 
wait for me next spring." When the father of the Mohawk chief 
heard these words, he reminded his son of the admonition he had 
given him not to touch this man. They then departed whence 
they had come. 

The Restigouche Indians started up to the pool after the old 
woman had notified them. When they arrived there, they could 
not at first find any traces of their kinsmen, but later perceived 
that all the Micmac children had been transfixed by spits and had 
been set before the fire to roast. The Mohawk Indians, meantime, 
had proceeded until they arrived at the first village, but as they 
were told to keep right on if they wished to keep out of trouble, 
they did not tarry there. 

When Tunel's wounds had been healed, he rushed down to the 
village and loudly declared what the Mohawk Indians had done 



128 

to him. He proceeded from one village to another, picking a 
few men here and there and thus mobilized a large war party. 
He then returned to his own village. For every four men with 
him there was one woman. These women were hauled on tobog- 
gans. They busied themselves making snowshoes and moccasins. 

Late in the autumn Tunel started out on his expedition against 
the Mohawks. Being a buowin, he was able to track the footsteps 
of men who had been there the previous summer. At every 
Mohawk town he came to, Tunel asked for the chief, and in each 
instance he was told that he and his party had gone on ahead, and 
accordingly Tunel followed. They finally came to a place on the 
St. Lawrence river where the Mohawk chief had built a little 
village. He was accustomed to going up on a little mountain and 
watching for Tunel. 

When Tunel finally arrived, it was about the same time of the 
year as he had told the Mohawk chief to wait for him. While 
watching from his position in the mountain, the Mohawk chief 
observed a man creeping down with a little fir tree in his hand. 
When he came to the lake, he put the fir tree on the ice and 
sat down upon it. He then pulled out his pipe and pouch and 
began to smoke. Soon after the Mohawk chief saw another 
Indian appear and go through the same procedure, then another 
and another, until they became so numerous that he could not 
count them. He thus watched them until it had become dark, 
and then he could only see the clouds of smoke that arose from 
their midst. He then left the mountain and proceeded home. 
He entered his wigwam and lay dowTi and maintained a silence 
broken only by an occasional grunting. Later his father 
interrupted with the remark, "Son, if you had heeded me and 
not have killed those Indians, you would be better oflf." "But," 
replied the young chief, "we are as many as they are, and should 
not fear." 

In the course of the evening Tunel went over to visit the father 
of the chief and said to the Mohawk, "Our boys shall have their 
sport to-morrow." The old man nonchalantly replied that he did 
not care. 

On the next morning after breakfast Tunel took his men over 
to the wigwam of the Mohawk chief. On arriving there, the young 



129 

chief asked Tiinel if they would allow him to have the first daiu-c.' 
The Micmacs told liim to go ahead, and so he danced se\i'n times 
around without Ijeing touched by the arrows. Tunel was o})ser- 
vantly looking on all the time and at length saw where the vul- 
nerable point was. Tunel had a little bow and arrow with him mid 
he gave it to a boy and told him to aim at the feet of the duruer. 
The boy aimed; the arrow struck his feet. He fell down upon his 
abdomen and died. The chief's father and mother arose. The 
latter wept aloud, but her husband said to her, "Do not cry for 
him." Then he turned to the Micmacs and said, "Tarry a moment 
and you will see what I would have done if my son had obeyed me 
when I told him not to kill the Micmacs." 

The old man was probably a hundred years old. He arose and 
danced three times around the place where Tunel was resting. 
The Micmacs were shooting their arrows at hin^ but in vain, 
for they did him no harm. Then the old man sat down and said, 
"If my son had paid heed to my caution, I would have aided him 
to-day." 

At that moment Tunel arose and said, "But now I intend to 
kill each and every one of you Mohawks." And he carried out 
this threat. When they returned to their own village, they 
changed its name to Restigouche. 



(42). The Micmacs Take Vengeance on the Mohawks. 

This legend tells of a man and his wife who went out hunting. 
She was pregnant. In the woods they built a wigwam, and then 
the husband started out to set his traps of all sorts. Winter fast 
approached. It usually took him two days to go over the traps. 
He was absent from his wigwam one day, when another tribe of 
Indians came to his camp and found the woman there alone. 
She told them, when they inquired as to her husband's where- 
abouts, that he had gone out among his traps. Then one of the 
men made this proposal to her, "When your husband returns 
this evening, you cajole him and then bind his hands. When you 
have done this, come forth and shake a tree outside the wigwam. 

1 There was a custom among thi; Indians for the chief to dance out in front of bis forces before 
engaging in the combat. 



130 

We shall then rush in, kill your husband, and you shall choose one 
among all of us to be your spouse," And strange enough the 
woman accepted this treacherous proposal. 

But after the men had left, the woman turned to making 
moccasins and snowshoes for her husband. A little later her 
husband returned, and, after taking his supper, he said to his 
wife, apparently having divined somehow or other what had 
taken place, "How many men were here to-day?" 

"Quite a few," was the reply. 

"You had better get ready at once," he said. "Take your 
snowshoes and prepare to flee when those men return." The 
husband meantime was making preparations to fight. When 
he had completed his arrangements for resistance, he said to his 
wife, "Now go out and shake the tree as the men told you to do." 

The woman did as bidden and then proceeded to go away. 
When the men returned, he begged them not to harm his wife. 
The woman was allowed to depart, and then the combat began 
between the single man and the numerous enemy. As the dark- 
ness of night reigned, the woman's husband took some grease and 
hurled it into the fire, thus filling the wigwam with smoke. In 
the darkness and confusion that resulted, the man succeeded in 
eluding the enemy. But he was at a loss to know what had 
become of his wife, and this worried him considerably. But having 
beforehand designated a place where his wife was to meet him, 
he followed in the proper direction and overtook her upon coming 
to a certain stream. 

Before long they heard footsteps of the enemy behind them. 
The man urged his wife to proceed ahead and that he would again 
overtake her. She remonstrated, wishing to remain by his side 
and lend her assistance. But his will prevailed and he remained 
alone a second time to combat with the enemy. And a second 
time he eluded them and later joined his wife. He put her on a 
toboggan and hauled her along. But the enemy again had caught 
up to them, and this time he was unsuccessful and was slain by 
them. Morning was just breaking. 

J ust as the marauding Indians were putting an end to the man's 
life, an owl screeched three times. One of the Indians addressed 
the bird and said, "Your words are not true." The men then 



131 

asked the woman how many brothers her huKbaiid lm<l, and she 
replied that he had three. They happened to l.e at the home 
village at this time. 

One day one of these thnv l)rothers remarked to the other 
two, "I had a dream that our younp;eHt brother was up in the 
woods and was in misfortune. We had better go forth and seek 
him out." Accordingly they set out to find their absent brother. 
And some time after they came to the phice where their dead 
brother was slain. They saw a woman's footprints, their sister- 
in-law's, and they followed these. They likewise in their pursuit 
saw the furs of animals that he had trapi)ed before the marauding 
band had come upon them. 

Meanwhile the woman had been made the wife of one of the 
ginaps, and not long after she gave birth to the child of h((r first 
husband. The three brothers had not succeeded in finding her. 
The boy had grown to be a youth, and when he was about fifteen 
years of age, he one day asked his mother the name of the tribe 
they were among. She told him that it was the Mohawk tribe, 
but that he was a Micmac. "The old man that lives with me," 
she told him, "is not your father. *He killed your father before 
you were born." 

The' boy then put a number of questions to his mother. lie 
learned from her how many ginaps there were in the camp, the 
sort of snowshoes the Micmacs wore, and the direction in which 
the country of the Micmacs lay. He learned that the Micmac 
country was in the southeast, and was told that there his uncles 
were to be found. The boy then went up to his step-father, and 
on asking him how many ginaps there were in the place, he learned 
that there were three and that he w^as one of them. He then 
asked his father (he always called him father) to make him a pair 
of Micmac snowshoes, and this the latter consented to do. The 
boy then returned to his mother and said to her, "In three years' 
time I shall pay a visit to my uncles." 

At the end of three years he had grown big and strong, (^n a 
stormy night in winter he took up his hatchet, and after slaying 
the old man with it, he departed to seek the other two ginaps that 
were in the camp. Before he killed his step-father he said to him, 
"You are the old man w^ho slew my father. I shall in turn kill 



132 

you, and I shall kill all the ginaps in the camp." After taking the 
old man's Ufe, he scalped him, placed the scalp in the bosom of 
his shirt, and started in search of the other two ginaps. He 
succeeded in finding them, killed them, and likewise carriied off 
their scalps. 

The next day the news of this affair had spread abroad, and 
the youth was given the nickname Wedjibogwet, which has the 
signification of "killed all the ginaps." They soon started in pur- 
suit of him, but when he found that they were close upon his heels, 
he crawled under the snow beneath the crust, which he found in a 
place of some considerable depth. When his pursuers arrived in 
the neighbourhood of his place of concealment, they tramped all 
around, poked through the crust, and one even touched him, but 
he lay there perfectly motionless. But they knew that he could 
not have proceeded, because it was so stormy. 

One of the Indians spoke in a loud voice and said, "Well, we 

have the mother, anyhow, and we shall put her on a spit at " 

(a certain place, which he designated, on the Restigouche river). 

When they had given up the search, the youth crept out from 
his place of concealment and started out for the camp of the 
Micmacs. He succeeded in getting there and soon found his 
uncles. The Micmacs did not know him, but they thought that 
he was one of the Mohawks. One of them wanted to kill him at 
once. But another interfered and said, "Don't kill him. We 
must treat him like a chief and first make a great feast." 

Accordingly a feast was made. In the meantime he asked 
that his uncles be pointed out to him. Some women granted 
his request for this information and he then begged them to keep 
silent on the matter.^ The feast was presently entered upon and 
the youth was made to dance. Then he asked permission to dance 
again and this request was granted him. As he danced, he pulled 
out first one scalp, laid it before one uncle, then a second scalp 
and laid it before a second uncle, and likewise with the third scalp. 
The uncles readily understood when they saw the scalps. ^ They 
made inquiries of the boy in regard to the whereabouts of the 

' Probably they understood his uncles' names, although he spoke in Mohawk. He probably 
made signs for them to be silent. 

' Recognized as Mohawk by the manner of wearing the hair, which was different from the 
Micmac manner. 



133 

Mohawks and he told them thut tliey would be waitinK on llir* 
Restigouche river. 

They made preparations to meet the Mohawks, and at the 
appointed time they were at the Restigouche river awaiting tin- 
arrival of the Mohawks. After a laps(^ of some time they discerned 
the Mohawk warriors coming on the other side of the river. One 
of the uncles spied the dead man's wife. She was held a captive. 
He secretly stole to her and succeeded in carrying her away from 
her captors. "Have no fear," he told her, "you shall not he put 
upon the flag-pole (spit)." 

Evening came and an owP appeared before the Micmacs. An 
old warrior cried out that the owl should be shot. The boy, 
therefore, took his bow and arrow and knocked it down. Then 
the battle commenced. Although Tunel was not present in the 
fight, other ginaps were there. The Micmacs routed the Mohawks 
and rescued their woman. The battle lasted for three days and 
three nights, and many were slain. 



1 An owl iB a bird of ill omen, but moreover, according t^Micmac belief slmmftnsi^u^ 
form themeelves into an owl rather than any other bird, whenever they either « '-^h to escape d^ 
taction or wish to spy on someone. Here the Micmacs evidently tbouKht it was a shaman of the 



taction 

Mohawks who was spying on them. 



^ 



CLASSIFIED LIST OF RECENT REPORTS OF 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

Since 1910, reports issued by the Geological Survey have 
been called memoirs and have been numbered Memoir 1, Memoir 
2, etc. Owing to delays incidental to the publishing of reports 
and their accompanying maps, not all of the reports have ix-en 
called memoirs, and the memoirs have not been issuetl in th<? 
order of their assigned numbers, and, therefore, the following list 
has been prepared to prevent any misconceptions arising on this 
account. 



II 
Memoirs and Reports Published During 1910. 

REPORTS. 

Report on a geological rpconnaissance of the region traversed by the 
National Transcontinental railway between Lake Nipigon and Clay lake, 
Ont.— by W. H. Collins. _ No. 1059. 

Report on the geological position and characteristics of the oil-shale 
deposits of Canada— by R. W. Ells. No. 1107. 

A reconnaissance across the Mackenzie mountains on the Pelly, Ross, 
and Gravel rivers, Yukon and North West Territories — by Joseph Keele. 
No. 1097. 

MEMOIR&— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 1. No. 1, Geolocfical Series. Geology of the Nipigon basin, Ontario 
—by Alfred W. G. Wilson. 

Memoir 2, A'o. 2, Geological Series. Geology and ore deposits of Hedley 
Mining district, British Columbi;;. — bj' Charles Camsell. 

Memoir 3. A'o. S, Geological Series. Paheoniscid fishes from the Albert 
shales of New Brunswick — by Lawrence M. Lambe. 

Memoir 5. A'o. 4, Geological Series. Preliminary memoir on the Lewes and 
Nordenskiold Rivers coal district, Yukon Territory — by 
D. D. Cairnes. 

Memoir 6. A^o. 6, Geological Series. Geology of the Haliburton and Ban- 
croft areas, Province of Ontario — by Frank D. Adams and 
Alfred E. Barlow. 

Memoir 7. A'o. 6, Geological Series. Geology of St. Bruno mountain, Pro- 
vince of Quebec — by John A. Dresser. 



MEMOIRS— TOPOGRAPHICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 11. No. 1, Topographical Series. Triangulation and spirit levelling 
of Vancouver island, B.C. 1909 — by R. II. Chapman. 

Memoirs and Reports Published During 1911. 

REPORTS. 

Report on a traverse through the southern part of the North West Territo- 
ries, from Lac Seul to Cat lake, in 1902— by Alfred W. G. Wilson. No. 1006. 

Report on a part of the Nortli West Territories drained by the Winisk and 
Upper Attawapiskat rivers— by W. Mclnnes. No. 1080. 

Report on the geology of an area adjoining the east side of Lake Timis- 
kaming — by Morley E. Wilson. No. 1064. 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 
No. 7, Geological Series. Geological reconnaissance along the 

line of the National Transcontinental railway in western 

Quebec — by W. J. Wilson. 
A'o. S, Geological Series. The Edmonton coal field, Alberta — 



Memoir 4. 

Memoir 8. 
Memoir 9. 
Memoir 10. 

Memoir 12. 

Memoir 15. 
Memoir 16. 



by D. B. Dowling. 

A'o. 9, Geological Series. 

S. Malloeh. 
A'^o. 10, Gcologiatl Series. 



Bighorn coal basin, Alberta — by G. 



An instrumental survey of the shore- 
lines of the extinct lakes Algonquin and Nipissing in south- 
western Ontario — by J. W. Goldthwait. 

A'o. 11, Geological Series. Insects from the Tertiary lake 
deposits of the southern interior of British Columbia, col- 
lected by Mr. Lawrence M. Lambe, in 1906 — by Anton 
Handlirsch. 

No. 12, Geological Series. On a Trenton Echinoderm fauna at 
Kirkfield, Ontario — by Frank Springer. 

A'^o. 13, Geological Series. The clay and shale deposits of Nova 
Scotia and portions of New Brunswick — by Heinrich Ries, 
assisted by Joseph Keele. 



Ill 



MEMOIRS— BIOLOGICAL SERIES, 

Memoir 14. No. 1, Biological Scries. New Hpcc'n-H of hIh-IIm oollcctfd l)y Mr. 
John Macoun at Harkley sound, Vuricouvir iwland, HritiBh 
Columbia— by William H. Dall and raiii Uartseh. 



Memoirs Published During 1912. 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 13. No. 14, Geological Series. Southern Vancouver island — by 

Charles H. Clapp. 
Memoir 21. No. 16, Geological Series. The peology and ore depositH of 

Phoenix, Boundary district, British Columbia — by O. E. 

LeRoy. 
Memoir 24. No. 16, Geological Series. Preliminary report on the clay and 

shale deposits of the western provinces — by Hcinrich Rics 

and Joseph Keele. 
Memoir 27. No. 17, Geological Series. Report of the Commission appointed 

to investigate Turtle mountain, Frank, Alberta, 1911. 
Memoir 28. No. IS, Geological Series. The geology of Steeprock lake, 

Ontario — by Andrew C. Lawson. Notes on fossils from 

limestone of Steeprock lake, Ontario — by Charles D. Wal- 

cott. 



Memoirs Published During 1913. 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 17. No. 28, Geological Series. Geology and economic resources of 
the Larder Lake district, Ont., and adjoining portions of 
Pontiac county, Que. — by Morley E. Wilson. 

Memoir 18. No. 19, Geological Series. Bathurst district, New Brunswick 
— by G. A. Young. 

Memoir 26. No. S4, Geological Series. Geology and mineral deposits of the 
Tulameen district, B.C. — by C. Camsell. 

Memoir 29. No. 32, Geological Seiies. Oil and gas prospects of the north- 
west provinces of Canada — by W. Malcolm. 

Memoir 31. No. 20, Geological Series. Wheaton district, Yukon Territory 
— by D. D. Caimes. 

Memoir 33. No. 30,^ Geological Series. The geology of Gowganda Mining 
division — by W. H. Collins. 

Memoir 35. No. 29, Geological Series. Reconnaissance along the National 
Transcontinental railway in southeni Quebec— by John A. 
DrcssGT 

Memoir 37. No. 22, Geological Series. Portions of Atlin district, B.C.— by 
D. D. Caimes. 

Memoir 38. No. 31, Geological Series. Geology of the North American 
Cordillera at the forty-ninth parallel, Parts I and II— by 
Reginald Aldworth Daly. 



IV 



Memoirs Published During 1914. 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 23. No. 23, Geological Series. Grcology of the coast and islands 
between the Strait of Georgia and Queen Charlotte sound, 
B.C. — by J. Austen Bancroft. 

Memoir 25. No. 21, Geologicnl Serines. Report on the clay and shale de- 
posits of the western provinces (Part II) — by Heinrich 
Ries and Joseph Keele. 

Memoir 30. No. Ifi, Geological Series. The basins of Nelson and Churchill 
rivers — by William Mclnnes. 

Memoir 20. No. Al, Geological Series. Gold fields of Nova Scotia — by W. 
Malcolm. 

Memoir 36. No. 33, Geological Series. Geology of the Victoria and Saanich 
map-areas, Vancouver island, B.C. — by C. H. Clapp. 



Memoirs in Press, April 20, 1914. 

Memoir 40. No. 24, Geologiail Series. The Archaean geology of Rainy 

lake — by Andrew C. Lawson. 
Memoir 32. No. 25, Geologicnl Series. Portions of Portland Canal and 

Skeena Mining divisions, Skeena district, B.C. — by R. G. 

McConnell. 
Memoir 19. No. 26, Geological Scries. Geology of Mother Lode and Sunset 

mines, Boundary district, B.C. — by O. E. LeRoy. 
Memoir 22. No. 27, Geological Series. Preliminary report on the serpen- 
tines and associated rocks in southern Quebec — by J. A. 

Dresser. 
Memoir 39. No. S5, Geologicnl Series. Kewagama Lakt; map-area, Quebec 

— by M. E. Wilson. 
Memoir 43. No. 36, Geological Series. St. Hilaire (Beloeil) and Rouge- 

mont mountains, Quebec — by J. J. O'Neill. 
Memoir 44. No. 37, Geological Series. Claj' and shale deposits of New 

Brunswick — by J. Keele. 
Memoir 4L No. 38, Geologicnl Series. The "Fern Ledges" Carboniferous 

flora of St. John, New Brunswick — by ^iarie C. Stopes. 
Memoir 47. No. 39, Geological Series. Clay and shale deposits of the 

western provinces, Part III — ^by Heinrich Ries. 
Memoir 51. No. 43, Geological Series. Geology of the Nanaimo map-area — 

by C. H. Clapp. 
Memoir 52. No. 42, Geological Scries. Notes to accompany map of Sheep 

River gas and oil field, Alberta — by D. B. Dowling. 
Memoir 42. No. 1, Anthropologiail Series. The double-curve motive in 

northeastern Algonkian art — by Frank G. Speck. 
Memoir 48. No. 2, Anthropological Series. Some myths and tales of the 

Ojibwa of southeastern Ontario — collected by Paul Radin. 
Mbmoir 45. No. 3, Anthropological Series. The inviting-in feast of the 

Alaska Eskimo — by E. W. Hawkes. 
Memoir 49. No. 4, Anthropological Series. Malecite tales — by W. H. Mech- 

ling. 






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